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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $944 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,312 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,405 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,276 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,866 in Kulim, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 43% more than Kulim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 1% above the global median, while Kulim is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 59.7K

$3.40 MYR 13.88

-2.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.42 Rp 634.4K

$14.93 MYR 61.0

137.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 Rp 103.1K

$4.77 MYR 19.49

20.75%

Cappuccino

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

$2.62 MYR 10.71

0.38%

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

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$0.97 MYR 3.95

79.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$0.35 MYR 1.45

120.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

$2.48 MYR 10.15

9.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.9K

$4.31 MYR 17.59

4.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$2.47 MYR 10.08

-38.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.32 MYR 5.41

66.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

$1.76 MYR 7.17

-30.68%

Eggs

$2.14 Rp 38.3K

$2.47 MYR 10.09

-13.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.73 Rp 317.6K

$15.68 MYR 64.1

13.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 Rp 69.1K

$4.87 MYR 19.91

-20.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 Rp 215.4K

$9.69 MYR 39.58

24.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 Rp 64.7K

$2.41 MYR 9.83

49.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$1.48 MYR 6.06

2.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.5K

$2.25 MYR 9.20

3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.9K

$1.25 MYR 5.09

60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$0.94 MYR 3.86

92.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

$0.85 MYR 3.48

181.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

$0.72 MYR 2.95

37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,392

$0.68 MYR 2.77

-23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 Rp 39.1K

$4.52 MYR 18.45

-51.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.98 Rp 411.5K

$21.34 MYR 87.2

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 Rp 42.9K

$2.50 MYR 10.22

-4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

$3.75 MYR 15.31

-20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,263

$0.78 MYR 3.17

-69.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.99 Rp 125.2K

$12.41 MYR 50.7

-43.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,892

$1.27 MYR 5.17

-65.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,598

$0.47 MYR 1.94

-10.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 97.6K

$6.78 MYR 27.68

-19.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$0.81 MYR 3.30

3.70%

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

$24.3K Rp 435.7M

$41.6K MYR 169.8K

-41.47%

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

$31.9K Rp 571.2M

$28.5K MYR 116.6K

11.70%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$49.63 MYR 203

62.87%

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

$6.58 Rp 117.8K

$8.34 MYR 34.06

-21.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.24 Rp 326.8K

$30.95 MYR 126

-41.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 Rp 987.4K

$40.79 MYR 167

35.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.51 Rp 331.6K

$7.09 MYR 28.97

161.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.0K

$4.70 MYR 19.20

-9.79%

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

$486 Rp 8.7M

$169 MYR 689

188.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,676 Rp 101.7M

$4,851 MYR 19.8K

17.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.18 Rp 809.3K

$53.4 MYR 218

-15.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 Rp 619.2K

$35.35 MYR 144

-2.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 Rp 1.4M

$73.8 MYR 302

7.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

$115 MYR 468

-32.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 Rp 20.2M

$405 MYR 1,653

178.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 12.1M

$306 MYR 1,249

120.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,618 Rp 64.8M

$666 MYR 2,723

442.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 Rp 31.1M

$480 MYR 1,961

261.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.7M

$2,008 MYR 8,201

40.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 Rp 41.3M

$1,071 MYR 4,375

115.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 Rp 3.0M

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: October 5, 2026

Last update for Kulim: October 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,127 in Ubud, Bali versus $405 in Kulim. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $15.00 in Kulim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $270 – making Kulim the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kulim: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 43% more than Kulim, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,022 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,415 in Kulim. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kulim, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali and $15.00 in Kulim. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Kulim, where all-in costs run around $944, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,348. In Kulim it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Kulim costs $944 versus $1,348 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kulim. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.