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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,048 in Johor Bahru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,549 in Johor Bahru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,050 in Johor Bahru.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 31% more expensive than in Johor Bahru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Johor Bahru is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$3.68 MYR 15.05

-6.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$21.22 MYR 86.9

71.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$4.89 MYR 20.01

16.77%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.93 MYR 12.01

-8.87%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$0.84 MYR 3.44

108.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.52 MYR 2.11

67.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$4.39 MYR 17.97

-32.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$6.32 MYR 25.88

-28.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.67 MYR 6.83

-2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.11 MYR 4.53

109.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.43 MYR 5.86

-22.38%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$1.68 MYR 6.89

30.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$18.49 MYR 75.7

-4.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$4.67 MYR 19.13

-12.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

$10.73 MYR 43.91

13.51%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$3.29 MYR 13.48

12.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.76 MYR 7.21

-9.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$3.75 MYR 15.34

-39.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.68 MYR 6.86

16.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.41 MYR 5.79

35.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.67 MYR 6.82

39.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$1.38 MYR 5.64

-26.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$0.54 MYR 2.22

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$4.23 MYR 17.32

-47.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$14.40 MYR 58.9

60.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$2.96 MYR 12.11

-18.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$3.08 MYR 12.63

-2.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

$0.72 MYR 2.93

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$12.16 MYR 49.79

-26.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$1.43 MYR 5.84

-66.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$0.75 MYR 3.09

-42.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$9.99 MYR 40.88

-43.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.82 MYR 3.36

-2.44%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$42.6K MYR 174.3K

-41.41%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$35.7K MYR 146.2K

-11.20%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$53.6 MYR 219

52.09%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$11.39 MYR 46.60

-43.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$28.27 MYR 116

-33.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$40.40 MYR 165

40.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

$5.79 MYR 23.72

223.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$4.79 MYR 19.61

-5.22%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$161 MYR 658

199.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

$4,523 MYR 18.5K

26.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$53.7 MYR 220

-15.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$16.30 MYR 66.7

120.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$83.2 MYR 340

-3.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$98.1 MYR 401

-19.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$515 MYR 2,108

116.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$397 MYR 1,625

75.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$905 MYR 3,702

302.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$639 MYR 2,615

171.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$2,058 MYR 8,423

35.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$1,177 MYR 4,818

94.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,090 MYR 4,460

-84.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.06

239.41%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Johor Bahru: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $515 in Johor Bahru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Johor Bahru pays 549% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $21.00 in Johor Bahru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $271 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $1,048 including rent). Johor Bahru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 549% lower in Johor Bahru. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $515 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 $21.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,048 in Johor Bahru – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,048 in Johor Bahru versus $1,368 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 31% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.