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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $804 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,223 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,642 in Kuching.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 79% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Kuching is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

$2.80 MYR 11.08

27.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

$20.00 MYR 79.0

62.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

$4.68 MYR 18.49

8.33%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

$2.45 MYR 9.69

15.51%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

$0.75 MYR 2.94

78.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.32 MYR 1.27

115.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

$2.89 MYR 11.43

3.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

$3.63 MYR 14.33

6.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$1.90 MYR 7.51

-8.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

$1.12 MYR 4.43

126.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.02 MYR 4.03

16.67%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

$2.26 MYR 8.91

7.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

$9.55 MYR 37.72

53.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

$3.73 MYR 14.72

12.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

$7.99 MYR 31.56

49.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

$3.08 MYR 12.18

19.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.15 MYR 4.54

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

$2.62 MYR 10.36

2.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

$1.81 MYR 7.15

28.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

$1.11 MYR 4.40

72.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

$1.24 MYR 4.89

76.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.74 MYR 6.88

-39.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.53 MYR 2.10

35.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

$4.22 MYR 16.67

-25.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

$21.58 MYR 85.3

8.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

$3.84 MYR 15.18

-28.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

$3.47 MYR 13.71

-17.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,010

$0.25 MYR 0.99

16.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

$11.84 MYR 46.78

-31.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,834

$0.98 MYR 3.88

-54.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,278

$1.11 MYR 4.38

-62.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

$1.92 MYR 7.60

220.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

$0.47 MYR 1.84

78.72%

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

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

$46.1K MYR 182.0K

-43.04%

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

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

$36.3K MYR 143.3K

-10.50%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$40.86 MYR 161

91.92%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

$9.15 MYR 36.13

-56.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

$25.01 MYR 98.8

-2.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$29.43 MYR 116

228.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

$9.87 MYR 39.00

-35.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

$4.72 MYR 18.65

-14.41%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$145 MYR 575

108.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

$6,146 MYR 24.3K

6.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

$65.8 MYR 260

-18.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

$31.81 MYR 126

19.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$86.1 MYR 340

0.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$71.3 MYR 282

10.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$284 MYR 1,123

256.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.6M

$203 MYR 800

233.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

$566 MYR 2,237

498.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

$378 MYR 1,494

454.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

$2,090 MYR 8,254

42.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

$1,556 MYR 6,145

50.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$554 MYR 2,186

-68.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.27

211.01%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Kuching: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 220% 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 $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $245 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kuching earns 220% 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 $284 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 $20.00 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 $804 in Kuching – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $804 in Kuching versus $1,438 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 79% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.