Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Hawalli Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Hawalli

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,101 in Hawalli, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,962 in Hawalli, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,824 in Hawalli, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 29% more than Hawalli, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Hawalli is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$4.84 KWD 1.49

-26.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$68.0 KWD 20.99

-51.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$8.77 KWD 2.71

-43.56%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$4.54 KWD 1.40

-40.31%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.52 KWD 0.16

157.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.34 KWD 0.11

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.60 KWD 0.50

13.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.29 KWD 0.40

95.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.80 KWD 0.56

-35.56%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.03 KWD 0.63

21.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$3.37 KWD 1.04

336.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$3.32 KWD 1.02

30.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$5.64 KWD 1.74

115.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$2.37 KWD 0.73

62.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.96 KWD 0.61

-20.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.80 KWD 0.56

57.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.44 KWD 0.45

61.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.21 KWD 0.37

57.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.31 KWD 0.41

67.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-38.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.32 KWD 0.10

143.75%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.17 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.32 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$2.98 KWD 0.92

11.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.79 KWD 0.25

-65.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$48.30 KWD 14.91

-83.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$3.21 KWD 0.99

-85.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$3.28 KWD 1.01

-86.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$16.02 KWD 4.95

-61.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.37 KWD 0.11

113.51%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$21.5K KWD 6,630

21.79%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$19.9K KWD 6,141

61.51%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$61.8 KWD 19.09

29.29%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$18.89 KWD 5.83

-78.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$25.93 KWD 8.01

-9.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$49.89 KWD 15.41

97.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$46.54 KWD 14.37

-85.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$9.79 KWD 3.02

-57.61%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$405 KWD 125

-25.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$6,666 KWD 2,059

-0.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$32.17 KWD 9.93

72.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$42.57 KWD 13.15

-10.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$89.3 KWD 27.58

-0.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$81.3 KWD 25.09

-4.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$594 KWD 183

69.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$492 KWD 152

37.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$976 KWD 301

252.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$3,313 KWD 1,023

-38.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,854 KWD 573

-91.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

7.14

85.99%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hawalli: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $594 in Hawalli. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1022% higher in Hawalli, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $68.0 in Hawalli. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $143 in Hawalli – so Hawalli wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Hawalli: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, $1,101 in Hawalli – roughly 29% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,651 in Hawalli. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hawalli, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 112% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $68.0 in Hawalli. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Hawalli, where all-in costs run around $1,101, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Hawalli it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Hawalli has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,101 in Hawalli to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Hawalli. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.