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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $889 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,371 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,852 in Kuching.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 55% more expensive than in Kuching, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Kuching is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.53 MYR 14.35

-5.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$25.07 MYR 102

42.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$4.93 MYR 20.05

14.20%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$3.35 MYR 13.64

-15.82%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.80 MYR 3.24

118.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.39 MYR 1.57

105.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$4.63 MYR 18.84

-34.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$6.06 MYR 24.67

-29.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$2.33 MYR 9.47

-30.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.20 MYR 4.88

89.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.22 MYR 4.95

-4.10%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.56 MYR 10.40

-15.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$11.49 MYR 46.74

53.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.44 MYR 18.04

-8.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$9.68 MYR 39.38

25.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.36 MYR 13.69

7.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.33 MYR 5.43

23.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.45 MYR 9.96

-5.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.86 MYR 7.58

5.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.57 MYR 6.37

17.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.15 MYR 4.69

106.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.59 MYR 6.46

-33.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.55 MYR 2.25

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.80 MYR 19.53

-52.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$21.20 MYR 86.2

8.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$4.07 MYR 16.56

-42.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$5.07 MYR 20.63

-39.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.63 MYR 2.58

-60.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$12.58 MYR 51.2

-25.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.96 MYR 3.90

-48.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.26 MYR 5.13

-62.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$8.85 MYR 36.00

-36.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.85 MYR 3.47

-4.71%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$42.5K MYR 172.8K

-41.11%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$36.7K MYR 149.4K

-15.42%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$35.37 MYR 144

133.87%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$10.29 MYR 41.88

-36.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$24.25 MYR 98.7

-22.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$30.72 MYR 125

79.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$12.25 MYR 49.84

48.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.91 MYR 19.96

-12.42%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$135 MYR 551

264.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$7,205 MYR 29.3K

-17.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$63.4 MYR 258

-27.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$37.96 MYR 154

-4.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$90.7 MYR 369

-11.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$66.9 MYR 272

17.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$371 MYR 1,510

200.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$240 MYR 977

188.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$648 MYR 2,635

461.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$454 MYR 1,845

277.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,112 MYR 8,593

30.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,552 MYR 6,313

47.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$548 MYR 2,229

-69.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.37

215.33%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kuching: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $371 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 228% 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 $25.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $273 per month, with Kuching 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 Kuching: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kuching is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 228% lower in Kuching. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $371 in Kuching. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kuching – a meal for two runs $25.00 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 $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $889 in Kuching – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $889 in Kuching versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kuching but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kuching the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kuching is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Kuching 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 Kuching gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.