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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,764 in Macao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,775 in Macao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,787 in Macao.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 20% less than in Macao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Macao 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$6.19 MOP 49.95

-42.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$49.59 MOP 400

-34.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$6.05 MOP 48.87

-18.18%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$4.86 MOP 39.22

-44.24%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$1.20 MOP 9.71

11.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.81 MOP 6.57

-13.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$5.86 MOP 47.27

-50.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$7.23 MOP 58.3

-45.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$2.94 MOP 23.76

-38.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.60 MOP 12.89

57.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.53 MOP 12.39

-24.18%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$3.17 MOP 25.62

-22.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$17.37 MOP 140

-15.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$7.56 MOP 61.1

-42.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$23.17 MOP 187

-47.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$3.84 MOP 30.96

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$3.11 MOP 25.14

-49.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$3.83 MOP 30.88

-26.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$2.80 MOP 22.61

-16.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$4.37 MOP 35.24

-56.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$3.50 MOP 28.21

-37.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.71 MOP 13.78

-40.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.09 MOP 8.80

-28.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$6.14 MOP 49.60

-45.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$12.17 MOP 98.2

95.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.36 MOP 11.01

105.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.06 MOP 16.60

38.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.77 MOP 6.25

-64.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$22.17 MOP 179

-63.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$2.65 MOP 21.36

-82.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.19 MOP 9.57

-62.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$15.12 MOP 122

-59.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.74 MOP 14.08

-54.60%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$31.0K MOP 250.2K

-15.65%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$28.2K MOP 227.9K

13.75%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$103 MOP 835

-22.74%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$25.14 MOP 203

-83.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$34.23 MOP 276

-31.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$85.3 MOP 689

15.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$3.51 MOP 28.35

88.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$14.28 MOP 115

-70.94%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$674 MOP 5,436

-54.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$13.3K MOP 107.0K

-50.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$65.1 MOP 525

-14.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$29.06 MOP 235

31.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$88.3 MOP 713

0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$102 MOP 823

-23.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$1,064 MOP 8,588

-5.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$778 MOP 6,277

-13.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$1,966 MOP 15.9K

75.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$1,621 MOP 13.1K

25.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$12.7K MOP 102.8K

-77.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$8,010 MOP 64.6K

-71.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,983 MOP 16.0K

-91.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.28

304.88%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Macao: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $1,064 in Macao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macao pays 1100% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $50.0 in Macao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $366 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Macao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Macao. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Macao earns 1100% 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,064 in Macao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $50.0 in Macao. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,764 in Macao – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,764 in Macao, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Macao. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,419 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Macao 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Macao. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.