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 $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $975 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,363 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,403 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,347 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,830 in Kulim, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 41% more than Kulim, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 1% above the global median, while Kulim is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$3.54 MYR 14.32

-6.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$15.55 MYR 62.8

151.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$4.85 MYR 19.58

15.88%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.65 MYR 10.72

-0.38%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$0.95 MYR 3.85

66.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.35 MYR 1.43

102.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$2.43 MYR 9.81

12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$4.31 MYR 17.43

0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$2.35 MYR 9.49

-34.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.33 MYR 5.36

72.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.75 MYR 7.08

-41.14%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$2.60 MYR 10.49

-18.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$15.30 MYR 61.8

13.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$4.88 MYR 19.70

-17.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$9.79 MYR 39.56

26.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$2.41 MYR 9.74

53.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.51 MYR 6.08

7.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$2.34 MYR 9.44

-2.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.26 MYR 5.09

57.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$0.94 MYR 3.79

94.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$0.84 MYR 3.38

167.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.78 MYR 3.13

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.64 MYR 2.59

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$4.60 MYR 18.60

-51.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$21.87 MYR 88.4

6.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$2.42 MYR 9.76

-1.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$3.63 MYR 14.65

-20.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$0.75 MYR 3.04

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

$13.76 MYR 55.6

-47.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$1.20 MYR 4.84

-61.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.51 MYR 2.07

-9.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$6.75 MYR 27.28

-15.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.75 MYR 3.04

1.33%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$41.9K MYR 169.4K

-41.39%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$28.0K MYR 113.1K

10.82%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$51.2 MYR 207

60.49%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$8.12 MYR 32.80

-22.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$31.26 MYR 126

-40.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$35.58 MYR 144

57.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

$6.59 MYR 26.63

179.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$4.76 MYR 19.21

-10.50%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$175 MYR 708

179.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$5,017 MYR 20.3K

15.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$55.2 MYR 223

-16.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$35.49 MYR 143

1.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$73.0 MYR 295

8.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$71.3 MYR 288

13.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$376 MYR 1,519

204.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$317 MYR 1,280

118.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$700 MYR 2,828

404.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$484 MYR 1,957

252.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$1,947 MYR 7,866

43.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$1,026 MYR 4,145

120.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 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: August 15, 2026

Last update for Kulim: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $376 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $16.00 in Kulim. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $269 – 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 41% 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 $2,069 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,463 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 9% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $16.00 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 $975, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,379. 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 $975 versus $1,379 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.