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 $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $986 in Kulim, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,551 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,494 in Kulim, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,002 in Kulim, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 41% more than Kulim, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Kulim is 26% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

$2.65 MYR 10.77

28.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

$23.68 MYR 96.3

36.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

$3.79 MYR 15.40

31.93%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

$2.31 MYR 9.39

22.08%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$0.76 MYR 3.11

81.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.34 MYR 1.38

114.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$4.17 MYR 16.97

-28.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

$5.44 MYR 22.11

-27.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

$1.91 MYR 7.77

-6.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$1.09 MYR 4.42

125.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

$1.44 MYR 5.87

-16.67%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

$1.82 MYR 7.39

31.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

$22.04 MYR 89.6

-34.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

$4.97 MYR 20.19

-13.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

$10.50 MYR 42.66

12.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

$4.06 MYR 16.50

-6.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$1.77 MYR 7.21

-7.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

$3.34 MYR 13.58

-16.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

$2.52 MYR 10.22

-10.32%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

$1.69 MYR 6.88

18.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$0.99 MYR 4.02

123.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

$1.12 MYR 4.57

-4.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.51 MYR 2.07

49.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

$4.22 MYR 17.16

-25.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

$17.90 MYR 72.8

33.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

$4.24 MYR 17.24

-33.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

$5.36 MYR 21.78

-48.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,726

$0.50 MYR 2.02

-46.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

$11.58 MYR 47.09

-27.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,034

$1.15 MYR 4.67

-60.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,578

$1.00 MYR 4.06

-57.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

$4.24 MYR 17.22

41.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.47 MYR 1.90

70.21%

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

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

$43.4K MYR 176.4K

-40.55%

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

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

$31.5K MYR 128.0K

1.01%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$73.0 MYR 297

10.66%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

$9.89 MYR 40.22

-58.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

$27.88 MYR 113

-13.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$37.24 MYR 151

162.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

$5.90 MYR 24.00

12.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

$5.59 MYR 22.70

-27.73%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$120 MYR 487

147.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

$4,293 MYR 17.4K

53.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

$109 MYR 442

-49.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

$27.17 MYR 110

41.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$75.7 MYR 308

13.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$80.1 MYR 325

-2.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.5M

$393 MYR 1,597

150.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$264 MYR 1,075

151.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

$638 MYR 2,593

440.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

$479 MYR 1,946

326.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

$2,008 MYR 8,161

40.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

$858 MYR 3,486

166.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.96

235.35%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Kulim: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $393 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $24.00 in Kulim. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Ubud, Bali vs $308 in Kulim – so Ubud, Bali wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,091 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,479 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Ubud, Bali – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $24.00 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 $986, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,394. 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 $986 versus $1,394 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.