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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $944 in Kedah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,399 in Kedah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,853 in Kedah.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 45% more expensive than in Kedah, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Kedah is 31% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$3.51 MYR 14.38

-1.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$12.36 MYR 50.6

193.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$5.03 MYR 20.58

13.52%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.66 MYR 10.91

0.38%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$0.91 MYR 3.74

92.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.33 MYR 1.34

163.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$2.41 MYR 9.87

22.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$4.29 MYR 17.56

5.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.43 MYR 9.95

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.36 MYR 5.57

71.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.76 MYR 7.20

-36.93%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$2.62 MYR 10.71

-16.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$15.65 MYR 64.0

13.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$4.90 MYR 20.07

-16.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

$9.56 MYR 39.14

27.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$2.36 MYR 9.65

57.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.45 MYR 5.92

9.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$2.28 MYR 9.32

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.25 MYR 5.13

56.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$0.91 MYR 3.74

109.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.79 MYR 3.23

194.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.77 MYR 3.17

31.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$0.65 MYR 2.66

-15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$4.66 MYR 19.08

-52.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$21.25 MYR 87.0

8.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$2.49 MYR 10.18

-2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$3.63 MYR 14.85

-17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

$0.74 MYR 3.04

-63.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$11.77 MYR 48.18

-23.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$1.22 MYR 4.99

-60.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$0.50 MYR 2.06

-14.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$6.64 MYR 27.19

-15.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.60 MYR 2.45

33.33%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$41.8K MYR 171.1K

-40.34%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$28.8K MYR 117.7K

10.27%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$50.7 MYR 207

60.83%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$7.98 MYR 32.64

-18.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$32.15 MYR 132

-41.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$39.87 MYR 163

42.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

$5.78 MYR 23.67

224.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$4.81 MYR 19.69

-5.61%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$171 MYR 698

181.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

$4,987 MYR 20.4K

14.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$54.5 MYR 223

-16.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$35.20 MYR 144

1.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$72.3 MYR 296

11.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$69.5 MYR 284

13.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$416 MYR 1,701

168.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$320 MYR 1,311

117.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$693 MYR 2,837

424.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$451 MYR 1,847

284.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$1,745 MYR 7,141

59.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$1,006 MYR 4,117

127.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,329 MYR 5,440

-87.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.43

211.06%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kedah: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $416 in Kedah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kedah pays 691% 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 $12.00 in Kedah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $269 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 45% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $944 including rent). Kedah is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 691% lower in Kedah. 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 $416 in Kedah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $171 in Kedah. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $944 in Kedah versus $1,368 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 45% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.