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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $966 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,378 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,791 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 7% above, Johor Bahru is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$3.53 MYR 13.93

1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$18.69 MYR 73.8

74.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$4.76 MYR 18.82

6.51%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$3.01 MYR 11.90

-5.98%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.85 MYR 3.35

57.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.49 MYR 1.93

40.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$3.51 MYR 13.85

-14.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$6.76 MYR 26.71

-43.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.80 MYR 7.11

-3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.98 MYR 3.89

159.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.24 MYR 4.89

-4.03%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.84 MYR 7.26

32.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$10.67 MYR 42.16

37.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$3.55 MYR 14.01

17.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$8.25 MYR 32.60

44.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.66 MYR 10.51

38.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.46 MYR 5.76

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.57 MYR 10.16

4.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.25 MYR 4.93

86.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.14 MYR 4.51

67.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.34 MYR 5.30

63.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.94 MYR 3.71

12.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.52 MYR 2.04

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$4.17 MYR 16.47

-24.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$14.50 MYR 57.3

62.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.68 MYR 10.59

2.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.92 MYR 11.53

-1.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.72 MYR 2.86

-59.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$11.81 MYR 46.65

-30.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.97 MYR 3.84

-53.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.02 MYR 4.04

-58.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$9.09 MYR 35.92

-32.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.47 MYR 1.84

78.72%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$34.8K MYR 137.4K

-24.57%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$28.1K MYR 111.0K

15.53%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$40.87 MYR 161

91.88%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$9.23 MYR 36.44

-57.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$30.64 MYR 121

-20.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$35.09 MYR 139

175.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$5.82 MYR 22.99

9.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$4.90 MYR 19.35

-17.55%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$191 MYR 755

58.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$6,900 MYR 27.3K

-5.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$49.07 MYR 194

9.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$19.14 MYR 75.6

98.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$54.2 MYR 214

60.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$39.65 MYR 157

98.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$468 MYR 1,848

116.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$396 MYR 1,565

70.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$843 MYR 3,331

301.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$599 MYR 2,366

250.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$2,090 MYR 8,254

42.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$1,190 MYR 4,700

96.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$1,155 MYR 4,562

-85.01%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $468 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 567% 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 $298 vs $218 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 ($1,438 vs $966 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 567% 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 $468 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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $966 in Johor Bahru – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $966 in Johor Bahru versus $1,438 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.