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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,506 in Hulhumale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,680 in Hulhumale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,854 in Hulhumale.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 4% less than in Hulhumale, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 7% above, Hulhumale 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$5.41 MVR 83.6

-34.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$28.88 MVR 446

12.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$9.97 MVR 154

-49.15%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.58 MVR 70.7

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 MVR 57.8

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.84 MVR 43.93

-0.35%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.33 MVR 20.51

0.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.25 MVR 3.86

176.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.78 MVR 27.45

-2.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.55 MVR 23.92

63.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.33 MVR 5.17

260.61%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.54 MVR 23.87

57.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$8.01 MVR 124

83.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$6.05 MVR 93.5

-30.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$8.63 MVR 133

38.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.98 MVR 61.5

-7.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$3.71 MVR 57.3

-56.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$4.21 MVR 65.1

-36.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$3.24 MVR 50.0

-28.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.52 MVR 23.44

25.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.23 MVR 19.08

78.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$3.06 MVR 47.31

-65.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.50 MVR 7.68

44.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.23 MVR 189

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 MVR 41.16

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.80 MVR 151

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$7.92 MVR 122

-60.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$2.00 MVR 30.98

-77.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.94 MVR 29.93

-78.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$9.98 MVR 154

-38.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.91 MVR 14.12

-7.69%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$32.6K MVR 503.7K

-19.51%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$34.0K MVR 525.9K

-4.59%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$108 MVR 1,670

-27.44%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$40.96 MVR 633

-90.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$41.62 MVR 643

-41.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$65.7 MVR 1,015

46.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$9.89 MVR 153

-59.15%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$165 MVR 2,553

83.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$3,595 MVR 55.5K

81.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$44.10 MVR 681

22.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$56.9 MVR 879

-33.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$90.7 MVR 1,401

-4.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$53.3 MVR 824

47.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$1,279 MVR 19.8K

-20.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$774 MVR 12.0K

-12.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$2,878 MVR 44.5K

17.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$2,292 MVR 35.4K

-8.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$5,375 MVR 83.0K

-44.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$494 MVR 7,632

373.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$709 MVR 10.9K

-75.57%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $1,279 in Hulhumale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hulhumale pays 309% 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 $29.00 in Hulhumale for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $221 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 5% 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 309% 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,279 in Hulhumale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $165 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 $29.00 in Hulhumale. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,506 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 $1,438 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 5% less than in Hulhumale. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.