Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Kedah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Kedah

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $869 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,333 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,797 in Kedah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 66% more expensive than Kedah, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Kedah is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

$3.10 MYR 12.26

15.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

$20.93 MYR 82.7

55.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

$4.12 MYR 16.26

23.06%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

$2.92 MYR 11.52

-3.08%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

$0.74 MYR 2.91

81.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.36 MYR 1.44

91.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

$4.29 MYR 16.95

-30.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

$4.53 MYR 17.91

-15.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$1.81 MYR 7.16

-3.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

$0.92 MYR 3.65

176.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.21 MYR 4.78

-1.65%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

$2.06 MYR 8.15

17.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

$14.78 MYR 58.4

-0.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

$4.98 MYR 19.67

-16.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

$14.83 MYR 58.6

-19.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

$2.78 MYR 10.99

32.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.20 MYR 4.76

34.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

$2.71 MYR 10.70

-0.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

$2.15 MYR 8.51

8.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

$1.17 MYR 4.64

63.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

$1.18 MYR 4.64

85.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.95 MYR 3.74

11.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.45 MYR 1.77

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

$4.32 MYR 17.08

-27.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

$19.89 MYR 78.6

18.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

$2.69 MYR 10.61

1.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

$3.54 MYR 13.96

-18.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,010

$0.68 MYR 2.70

-57.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

$11.59 MYR 45.78

-29.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,834

$0.72 MYR 2.86

-37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,278

$0.47 MYR 1.85

-10.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

$6.96 MYR 27.49

-11.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

$0.49 MYR 1.94

71.43%

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

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

$33.7K MYR 133.3K

-22.22%

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

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

$27.2K MYR 107.4K

19.40%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$37.91 MYR 150

106.86%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

$10.09 MYR 39.84

-60.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

$11.64 MYR 45.97

109.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$37.47 MYR 148

157.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

$5.95 MYR 23.49

6.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

$2.77 MYR 10.95

45.85%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$238 MYR 942

26.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

$6,226 MYR 24.6K

4.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

$54.7 MYR 216

-1.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

$29.36 MYR 116

29.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$61.0 MYR 241

42.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$52.8 MYR 208

49.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$394 MYR 1,558

156.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.6M

$265 MYR 1,046

154.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

$656 MYR 2,590

417.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

$470 MYR 1,858

346.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

$1,947 MYR 7,692

53.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

$795 MYR 3,142

194.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$1,390 MYR 5,491

-87.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.16

219.23%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Kedah: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $394 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 703% 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 $21.00 in Kedah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $272 per month, with Kedah 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 Kedah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Kedah differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $869 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Kedah earns 703% 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 $394 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $238 in Kedah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $869 in Kedah versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Kedah but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kedah 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 Kedah 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 Kedah gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.