Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Johor Bahru Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Johor Bahru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $943 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,385 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,826 in Johor Bahru.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 49% more expensive than Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Johor Bahru is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$3.59 MYR 14.56

-0.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$18.77 MYR 76.1

73.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.69 MYR 19.02

3.62%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$3.02 MYR 12.23

-8.94%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.79 MYR 3.22

67.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.45 MYR 1.84

55.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$3.64 MYR 14.78

-20.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$6.63 MYR 26.90

-42.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.82 MYR 7.37

-6.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.93 MYR 3.76

165.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.29 MYR 5.25

-6.98%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.87 MYR 7.59

30.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$10.72 MYR 43.49

34.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$3.49 MYR 14.17

23.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$8.21 MYR 33.29

48.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.77 MYR 11.21

32.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.48 MYR 6.00

4.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.48 MYR 10.04

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.26 MYR 5.10

84.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.14 MYR 4.61

72.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.33 MYR 5.38

73.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.94 MYR 3.82

12.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.57 MYR 2.30

28.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$4.19 MYR 16.98

-21.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$14.08 MYR 57.1

61.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.64 MYR 10.72

6.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.93 MYR 11.90

-5.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.74 MYR 3.02

-60.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$11.67 MYR 47.34

-30.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.02 MYR 4.13

-55.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.99 MYR 4.03

-54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$9.41 MYR 38.15

-33.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.46 MYR 1.85

84.78%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$35.8K MYR 145.2K

-27.46%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$27.4K MYR 111.1K

15.57%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$41.08 MYR 167

96.57%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$9.14 MYR 37.06

-55.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$30.22 MYR 123

-19.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$34.97 MYR 142

179.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$6.01 MYR 24.37

7.32%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$5.04 MYR 20.42

-19.84%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$184 MYR 746

65.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$6,934 MYR 28.1K

-4.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$49.20 MYR 200

10.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$19.06 MYR 77.3

103.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$54.1 MYR 219

59.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$40.69 MYR 165

88.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$469 MYR 1,901

110.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$397 MYR 1,611

65.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$816 MYR 3,311

312.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$611 MYR 2,478

238.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$2,079 MYR 8,432

31.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$1,163 MYR 4,714

91.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$1,108 MYR 4,492

-85.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.07

226.29%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $469 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 578% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $19.00 in Johor Bahru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $217 per month, with Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Johor Bahru differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $943 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Johor Bahru earns 578% 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 $469 in Johor Bahru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Johor Bahru – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $943 in Johor Bahru – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $943 in Johor Bahru versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Johor Bahru but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Johor Bahru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.