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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $376 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $713 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,050 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 283% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Mahajanga is 72% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$1.98 MGA 8,209

80.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$17.88 MGA 74.2K

82.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$0.66 MGA 2,730

328.79%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.88 MGA 3,632

52.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.92 MGA 3,809

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.03 MGA 4,272

190.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$1.60 MGA 6,623

140.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.05 MGA 4,341

65.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.59 MGA 2,466

330.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.55 MGA 2,298

116.36%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.93 MGA 8,017

25.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$6.83 MGA 28.3K

114.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$5.26 MGA 21.8K

-20.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$3.31 MGA 13.7K

260.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$0.94 MGA 3,900

292.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$0.54 MGA 2,232

198.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$0.78 MGA 3,222

244.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$0.51 MGA 2,100

356.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.49 MGA 2,035

289.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.45 MGA 1,856

386.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.39 MGA 1,623

171.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.62 MGA 2,592

16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$1.14 MGA 4,736

174.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$9.58 MGA 39.7K

145.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$0.84 MGA 3,466

226.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.03 MGA 4,260

179.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.13 MGA 521

123.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$8.86 MGA 36.8K

-7.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.13 MGA 4,673

-25.66%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$45.23 MGA 187.6K

73.38%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$6.57 MGA 27.2K

-39.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$21.83 MGA 90.6K

11.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$17.68 MGA 73.3K

446.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$330 MGA 1.4M

206.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$110 MGA 455.0K

515.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$660 MGA 2.7M

413.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$441 MGA 1.8M

375.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $330 in Mahajanga. 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $18.00 in Mahajanga. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $133 – making Mahajanga 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 Mahajanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 283% more than Mahajanga, 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 $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $564 in Mahajanga. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $376 in Mahajanga. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $18.00 in Mahajanga. 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 Mahajanga, where all-in costs run around $376, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Mahajanga 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. Mahajanga costs $376 versus $1,438 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 Mahajanga. 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.