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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,521 in Hulhumale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,721 in Hulhumale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,921 in Hulhumale.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 8% less than in Hulhumale, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 4% above, Hulhumale 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$5.38 MVR 83.0

-33.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$29.74 MVR 459

9.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$9.59 MVR 148

-49.32%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.43 MVR 68.4

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 MVR 58.4

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.94 MVR 45.30

-6.46%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.27 MVR 19.58

3.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.27 MVR 4.19

159.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.81 MVR 27.90

-5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.57 MVR 24.15

57.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.31 MVR 4.71

287.10%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.53 MVR 23.60

59.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$8.22 MVR 127

74.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$6.11 MVR 94.2

-29.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$8.65 MVR 133

41.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$4.01 MVR 61.8

-8.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$3.73 MVR 57.5

-58.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$4.39 MVR 67.7

-36.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$3.22 MVR 49.66

-27.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.55 MVR 23.96

27.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.23 MVR 18.96

87.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$3.13 MVR 48.29

-66.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.50 MVR 7.68

46.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.23 MVR 189

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MVR 41.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.00 MVR 154

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$8.34 MVR 129

-60.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.98 MVR 30.56

-77.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.92 MVR 29.68

-76.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$9.52 MVR 147

-34.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.96 MVR 14.84

-11.46%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$32.6K MVR 502.3K

-20.26%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$34.4K MVR 530.5K

-7.97%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$107 MVR 1,650

-24.51%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$42.13 MVR 650

-90.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$42.52 MVR 656

-42.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$65.1 MVR 1,004

50.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$9.52 MVR 147

-57.56%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$160 MVR 2,460

90.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$3,594 MVR 55.4K

84.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$45.16 MVR 696

20.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$56.3 MVR 868

-31.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$88.7 MVR 1,368

-2.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$53.4 MVR 823

43.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$1,294 MVR 20.0K

-23.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$768 MVR 11.8K

-14.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$2,918 MVR 45.0K

15.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$2,283 MVR 35.2K

-9.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$5,384 MVR 83.0K

-49.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$494 MVR 7,620

350.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$710 MVR 10.9K

-76.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

12.4

7.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $1,294 in Hulhumale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hulhumale pays 334% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $30.00 in Hulhumale for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $224 per month, with Hulhumale 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 Hulhumale: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Hulhumale. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Hulhumale earns 334% less. 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,294 in Hulhumale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $160 in Hulhumale. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $30.00 in Hulhumale. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,521 in Hulhumale, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Hulhumale. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,404 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Hulhumale 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Hulhumale. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.