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: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,418 in Hulhumale.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,575 in Hulhumale.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,731 in Hulhumale.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 3% less than in Hulhumale, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Hulhumale 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$5.92 MVR 91.3

-44.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$38.35 MVR 591

1.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$9.36 MVR 144

-39.96%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.90 MVR 75.6

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 MVR 74.3

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$3.45 MVR 53.3

-23.48%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.60 MVR 24.65

-1.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.29 MVR 4.45

144.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.58 MVR 24.32

-2.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.67 MVR 25.79

37.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$0.31 MVR 4.75

232.26%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$1.76 MVR 27.09

20.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$3.32 MVR 51.3

421.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$6.18 MVR 95.4

-34.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$9.51 MVR 147

30.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$3.85 MVR 59.3

-3.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$3.09 MVR 47.63

-47.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$2.97 MVR 45.85

-23.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$2.72 MVR 41.91

-26.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$1.30 MVR 20.01

40.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$1.15 MVR 17.70

95.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$2.08 MVR 32.04

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.62 MVR 9.58

-9.68%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.50 MVR 193

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.65 MVR 40.93

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 MVR 29.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$13.02 MVR 201

-82.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$1.92 MVR 29.65

-76.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$1.96 MVR 30.16

-76.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$9.83 MVR 152

-42.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.94 MVR 14.43

-19.15%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$32.6K MVR 503.3K

-24.72%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$28.8K MVR 443.8K

7.80%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$104 MVR 1,609

-21.23%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$29.88 MVR 461

-78.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$73.6 MVR 1,136

-74.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$9.53 MVR 147

-55.30%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$183 MVR 2,821

167.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$3,042 MVR 46.9K

90.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$39.51 MVR 609

16.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$50.0 MVR 772

-28.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$87.1 MVR 1,343

-8.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$51.7 MVR 797

56.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$1,142 MVR 17.6K

0.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$782 MVR 12.1K

-11.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$2,245 MVR 34.6K

57.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$2,262 MVR 34.9K

-24.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$5,372 MVR 82.8K

-48.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$497 MVR 7,663

355.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$702 MVR 10.8K

-75.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-1.57%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Hulhumale: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $1,142 in Hulhumale. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hulhumale pays 315% 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: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $38.00 in Hulhumale for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $195 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 3% 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, salaries run 315% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,142 in Hulhumale. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $489 in Ubud, Bali versus $183 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 $39.00 versus $38.00 in Hulhumale. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,418 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 $1,379 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 3% less than in Hulhumale. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.