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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $802 in Kuching.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,218 in Kuching.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,633 in Kuching.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 75% more expensive than Kuching, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Kuching is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$2.76 MYR 11.19

29.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$20.32 MYR 82.4

59.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.81 MYR 19.51

1.04%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.53 MYR 10.26

8.70%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.76 MYR 3.07

73.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.29 MYR 1.19

141.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.78 MYR 11.27

4.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.61 MYR 14.63

4.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.91 MYR 7.76

-10.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.09 MYR 4.44

126.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.06 MYR 4.28

13.21%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.15 MYR 8.73

13.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$9.37 MYR 38.01

53.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$3.79 MYR 15.36

13.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$8.01 MYR 32.49

52.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.99 MYR 12.14

23.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.14 MYR 4.63

35.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.59 MYR 10.48

7.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.80 MYR 7.31

29.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.11 MYR 4.50

77.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.24 MYR 5.01

86.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.69 MYR 6.87

-37.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.53 MYR 2.13

37.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$4.19 MYR 17.00

-21.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$21.36 MYR 86.6

6.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$3.87 MYR 15.69

-27.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$3.41 MYR 13.82

-18.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.23 MYR 0.93

26.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$11.92 MYR 48.32

-32.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.93 MYR 3.76

-51.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.11 MYR 4.49

-59.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$1.84 MYR 7.45

239.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.50 MYR 2.03

70.00%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$44.6K MYR 180.8K

-41.72%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$37.3K MYR 151.3K

-15.18%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$41.24 MYR 167

95.81%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$8.92 MYR 36.16

-54.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$25.42 MYR 103

-3.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$29.51 MYR 120

230.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$9.77 MYR 39.62

-33.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$4.63 MYR 18.77

-12.74%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$141 MYR 572

115.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$6,063 MYR 24.6K

9.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$65.8 MYR 267

-17.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$31.99 MYR 130

21.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$85.9 MYR 348

0.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$71.5 MYR 290

7.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$285 MYR 1,156

245.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$205 MYR 830

221.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$556 MYR 2,255

506.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$386 MYR 1,566

434.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$2,144 MYR 8,692

27.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$1,535 MYR 6,224

45.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$552 MYR 2,239

-70.40%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Kuching: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $285 in Kuching. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kuching pays 238% 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 $297 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, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Kuching earns 238% 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $285 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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $802 in Kuching – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $802 in Kuching versus $1,404 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 75% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.