Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Hulhumale

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,348 a month against $1,450 in Hulhumale, rent and utilities included – about $1,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,348
/mo nomad
Hulhumale
🇲🇻 Maldives
$1,450
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Hulhumale

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Hulhumale actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,450 in Hulhumale.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,348
  • Hulhumale $1,450

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,312 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,606 in Hulhumale.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,312
  • Hulhumale $2,606

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,276 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,762 in Hulhumale.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,276
  • Hulhumale $3,762

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 7% less than in Hulhumale, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Hulhumale 8% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Hulhumale
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 Rp 59.6K
$6.15 MVR 94.9
-45.85%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.42 Rp 633.1K
$38.70 MVR 597
-8.48%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.76 Rp 102.9K
$9.60 MVR 148
-40.00%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$4.78 MVR 73.6
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$4.96 MVR 76.5
-
Cappuccino
$2.63 Rp 47.0K
$3.56 MVR 54.8
-26.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 Rp 31.0K
$1.61 MVR 24.81
8.07%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 Rp 13.8K
$0.31 MVR 4.83
148.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.71 Rp 48.4K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.52 Rp 80.8K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Hulhumale
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 Rp 27.4K
$1.60 MVR 24.63
-4.38%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 Rp 39.2K
$1.64 MVR 25.27
34.15%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.22 Rp 21.8K
$0.33 MVR 5.11
269.70%
Eggs
$2.14 Rp 38.2K
$1.85 MVR 28.55
15.68%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.73 Rp 316.9K
$3.30 MVR 50.8
437.27%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.86 Rp 68.9K
$6.17 MVR 95.2
-37.44%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.03 Rp 215.0K
$9.60 MVR 148
25.31%
Apples (1kg)
$3.61 Rp 64.5K
$3.91 MVR 60.3
-7.67%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 Rp 27.1K
$3.08 MVR 47.48
-50.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.32 Rp 41.4K
$2.82 MVR 43.56
-17.73%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.00 Rp 35.8K
$2.71 MVR 41.71
-26.20%
Potato (1kg)
$1.81 Rp 32.4K
$1.22 MVR 18.88
48.36%
Onion (1kg)
$2.39 Rp 42.7K
$1.11 MVR 17.10
115.32%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.8K
$2.12 MVR 32.72
-53.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 Rp 9,373
$0.62 MVR 9.50
-16.13%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$12.11 MVR 187
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.67 MVR 41.25
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.01 MVR 30.94
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.18 Rp 39.0K
$12.87 MVR 198
-83.06%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.98 Rp 410.7K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 Rp 42.8K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 Rp 53.6K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Hulhumale
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 Rp 4,255
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.99 Rp 125.0K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,876
$1.89 MVR 29.12
-76.72%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,582
$1.91 MVR 29.39
-78.01%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 Rp 97.4K
$10.07 MVR 155
-45.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 Rp 15.1K
$0.98 MVR 15.12
-14.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.3K Rp 434.8M
$33.0K MVR 508.2K
-26.19%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K Rp 570.0M
$29.5K MVR 455.6K
7.92%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Hulhumale
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.8 Rp 1.4M
$102 MVR 1,568
-20.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.58 Rp 117.6K
$30.38 MVR 469
-78.34%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.24 Rp 326.1K
$72.4 MVR 1,117
-74.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Hulhumale
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.1 Rp 985.4K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.51 Rp 330.9K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.24 Rp 75.9K
$9.82 MVR 151
-56.82%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Hulhumale
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$486 Rp 8.7M
$186 MVR 2,863
161.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,676 Rp 101.5M
$3,007 MVR 46.4K
88.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Hulhumale
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.18 Rp 807.6K
$38.95 MVR 601
15.99%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.57 Rp 617.9K
$50.3 MVR 775
-31.20%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.2 Rp 1.4M
$86.9 MVR 1,340
-8.91%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.6 Rp 1.4M
$51.6 MVR 796
50.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Hulhumale
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,127 Rp 20.1M
$1,118 MVR 17.2K
0.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$674 Rp 12.1M
$786 MVR 12.1K
-14.26%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,618 Rp 64.7M
$2,270 MVR 35.0K
59.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,735 Rp 31.0M
$2,293 MVR 35.4K
-24.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,829 Rp 50.6M
$5,453 MVR 84.1K
-48.12%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,307 Rp 41.2M
$506 MVR 7,802
355.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Hulhumale
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$710 MVR 10.9K
-76.66%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
14
-1.57%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 5, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: October 4, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$674
Hulhumale
$786 16.6% $112
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$290
Hulhumale
$195 32.7% $95
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$108
Hulhumale
$128 18.8% $20
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$106
Hulhumale
$102 3.7% $4
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$106
Hulhumale
$204 93.5% $99
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$64
Hulhumale
$20 * 69.1% $44
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$11
Hulhumale
$11 * 8.8% $0.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,127 in Ubud, Bali and $1,118 in Hulhumale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hulhumale pays 329% 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: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $39.00 in Hulhumale. Groceries flip the comparison at $290 vs $195, with Hulhumale cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇲🇻 Hulhumale
🕒 Local time
20:15 8:15 PM
17:15 5:15 PM
3 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
5,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MVR, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,030 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

Maldivian Rufiyaa exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 15.42 MVR (100 MVR = 6.49 USD). 1 EUR = 17.28 MVR (100 MVR = 5.79 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Hulhumale 4,840 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Hulhumale

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Hulhumale?
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.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Hulhumale?
On paper, salaries run 329% lower in Hulhumale. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali compared to Hulhumale?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,127 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,118 in Hulhumale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Hulhumale?
Childcare runs $486 in Ubud, Bali versus $186 in Hulhumale. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Hulhumale?
Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $39.00 in Hulhumale. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Hulhumale?
At $1,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,450 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Hulhumale?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,348 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Hulhumale?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
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.

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