Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and George Town Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and George Town

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $969 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,614 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,259 in George Town.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 41% more expensive than in George Town, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, George Town is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$3.36 MYR 13.72

2.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$15.02 MYR 61.3

141.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$4.75 MYR 19.39

20.21%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.78 MYR 11.35

-3.96%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.77 MYR 3.14

127.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.32 MYR 1.32

171.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.44 MYR 9.96

20.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$4.36 MYR 17.78

3.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.80 MYR 7.36

-10.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.09 MYR 4.45

113.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.69 MYR 6.89

-34.32%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.22 MYR 9.06

-0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$12.99 MYR 53.0

36.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$4.30 MYR 17.55

-4.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$8.63 MYR 35.22

41.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.43 MYR 9.93

52.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.48 MYR 6.05

7.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.24 MYR 9.13

1.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.22 MYR 4.96

59.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.92 MYR 3.77

107.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.85 MYR 3.49

174.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.77 MYR 3.15

31.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.54 MYR 2.21

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$4.62 MYR 18.84

-51.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$19.06 MYR 77.8

21.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$2.51 MYR 10.26

-3.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$3.59 MYR 14.65

-16.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.47 MYR 1.90

-42.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$10.93 MYR 44.63

-17.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.47 MYR 1.94

-8.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$6.71 MYR 27.41

-15.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.76 MYR 3.10

5.26%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$42.6K MYR 173.7K

-41.39%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$28.7K MYR 117.1K

10.58%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$36.69 MYR 150

122.02%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$8.25 MYR 33.68

-21.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$29.93 MYR 122

-37.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$41.24 MYR 168

37.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$4.77 MYR 19.49

292.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$4.71 MYR 19.23

-3.61%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$481 Rp 8.5M

$175 MYR 715

174.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$4,966 MYR 20.3K

15.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$55.0 MYR 225

-17.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$34.40 MYR 140

4.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$73.1 MYR 298

10.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$71.2 MYR 291

10.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$498 MYR 2,034

123.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$373 MYR 1,524

86.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$919 MYR 3,750

295.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$980 MYR 4,001

77.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,081 MYR 4,414

-84.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.24

225.00%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for George Town: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $498 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 544% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $15.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $239 per month, with George Town cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Ubud, Bali vs George Town: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

George Town is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 544% lower in George Town. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $498 in George Town. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in George Town runs roughly 22% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $175 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $969 in George Town versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in George Town but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes George Town the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, George Town is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and George Town are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find George Town gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.