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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $865 in George Town.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,328 in George Town.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,791 in George Town.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 61% more expensive than in George Town, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, George Town is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$2.99 MYR 12.22

19.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$21.46 MYR 87.6

50.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$4.14 MYR 16.91

21.01%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.58 MYR 10.52

9.30%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.78 MYR 3.17

73.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.34 MYR 1.37

114.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$4.22 MYR 17.22

-30.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$4.62 MYR 18.88

-14.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.81 MYR 7.41

-1.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.07 MYR 4.37

128.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.63 MYR 6.65

-29.45%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.06 MYR 8.41

16.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$17.36 MYR 70.9

-17.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$5.11 MYR 20.86

-18.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$10.81 MYR 44.15

11.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.92 MYR 11.92

24.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.40 MYR 5.71

12.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.15 MYR 8.76

29.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.22 MYR 5.00

83.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.84 MYR 3.45

135.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.17 MYR 4.78

94.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.74 MYR 3.00

41.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.55 MYR 2.23

43.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$4.18 MYR 17.07

-23.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$19.20 MYR 78.4

22.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.72 MYR 11.11

6.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$3.54 MYR 14.44

-22.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.45 MYR 1.84

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$11.63 MYR 47.49

-28.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.46 MYR 1.89

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$6.60 MYR 26.96

-8.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.46 MYR 1.86

86.96%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$34.0K MYR 138.7K

-21.71%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$24.9K MYR 101.6K

30.75%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$38.72 MYR 158

104.08%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$9.78 MYR 39.94

-58.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$29.08 MYR 119

-17.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$38.41 MYR 157

157.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$3.81 MYR 15.55

66.67%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$3.92 MYR 15.99

2.30%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$148 MYR 606

100.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$4,522 MYR 18.5K

46.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$52.6 MYR 215

1.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$28.34 MYR 116

34.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$62.3 MYR 255

42.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$52.3 MYR 214

46.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$364 MYR 1,488

179.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$257 MYR 1,049

164.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$711 MYR 2,901

388.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$495 MYR 2,019

322.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$1,072 MYR 4,378

-84.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.16

219.23%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for George Town: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $364 in George Town. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

George Town pays 555% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $21.00 in George Town for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $265 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 555% 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $364 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 39% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $148 in George Town. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $865 in George Town versus $1,392 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 61% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.