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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $777 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,228 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,678 in Kuching.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Kuching is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

$2.80 MYR 11.43

27.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

$20.41 MYR 83.4

58.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

$4.59 MYR 18.77

9.15%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

$2.58 MYR 10.53

9.30%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.71 MYR 2.90

90.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.30 MYR 1.21

143.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.88 MYR 11.77

1.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

$3.74 MYR 15.29

5.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$1.89 MYR 7.72

-5.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

$1.08 MYR 4.42

126.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

$1.05 MYR 4.31

9.52%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

$2.19 MYR 8.95

10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

$9.58 MYR 39.17

49.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

$3.84 MYR 15.71

9.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

$8.22 MYR 33.60

46.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

$2.98 MYR 12.19

22.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.15 MYR 4.69

36.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

$2.62 MYR 10.71

6.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.77 MYR 7.24

26.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

$1.15 MYR 4.71

72.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

$1.24 MYR 5.08

83.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

$1.71 MYR 6.98

-38.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.52 MYR 2.13

51.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

$4.19 MYR 17.12

-23.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

$20.46 MYR 83.6

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

$3.88 MYR 15.86

-25.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

$3.41 MYR 13.93

-19.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

$0.23 MYR 0.94

17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

$11.80 MYR 48.21

-29.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,180

$0.96 MYR 3.94

-53.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,311

$1.13 MYR 4.62

-59.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

$1.90 MYR 7.78

219.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.50 MYR 2.05

72.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

$45.9K MYR 187.6K

-42.08%

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

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

$37.2K MYR 152.2K

-12.61%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$41.82 MYR 171

88.95%

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

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

$9.22 MYR 37.70

-55.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

$25.53 MYR 104

-6.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$29.85 MYR 122

230.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

$9.81 MYR 40.08

-35.27%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

$4.64 MYR 18.94

-13.58%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$143 MYR 586

107.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

$6,166 MYR 25.2K

7.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

$66.3 MYR 271

-19.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

$31.34 MYR 128

21.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$87.5 MYR 358

1.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$71.7 MYR 293

6.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$284 MYR 1,160

259.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$201 MYR 820

239.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

$569 MYR 2,326

509.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

$387 MYR 1,583

439.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$2,088 MYR 8,535

30.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

$1,510 MYR 6,172

51.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$530 MYR 2,167

-69.13%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Kuching: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $284 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 224% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $20.00 in Kuching for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $243 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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 224% 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: $1,020 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $777 in Kuching – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $777 in Kuching versus $1,392 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.