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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $377 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $706 in Mahajanga, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,034 in Mahajanga, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 269% more than Mahajanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% 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 64.5K

$2.03 MGA 8,748

75.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$17.67 MGA 76.2K

82.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$0.68 MGA 2,948

314.71%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.92 MGA 3,967

46.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.87 MGA 3,746

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.02 MGA 4,413

187.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$1.52 MGA 6,547

159.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.04 MGA 4,486

71.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.64 MGA 2,747

282.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.60 MGA 2,580

91.67%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.96 MGA 8,463

22.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$6.64 MGA 28.6K

115.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$5.26 MGA 22.7K

-20.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$3.37 MGA 14.5K

257.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$0.99 MGA 4,251

267.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$0.55 MGA 2,351

185.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$0.76 MGA 3,295

267.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$0.54 MGA 2,346

314.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.50 MGA 2,160

296.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$0.45 MGA 1,932

406.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.43 MGA 1,853

144.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.59 MGA 2,543

33.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$1.13 MGA 4,880

182.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$9.20 MGA 39.7K

155.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$0.80 MGA 3,441

262.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$1.03 MGA 4,439

167.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.14 MGA 599

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$8.85 MGA 38.2K

-5.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.13 MGA 4,873

-23.89%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$44.93 MGA 193.7K

75.87%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$6.77 MGA 29.2K

-39.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$22.28 MGA 96.1K

7.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$17.41 MGA 75.1K

467.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$330 MGA 1.4M

208.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$108 MGA 463.9K

532.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$674 MGA 2.9M

414.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$439 MGA 1.9M

375.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mahajanga: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 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 $32.00 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 269% 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 $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $566 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 $1,392 in Ubud, Bali and $377 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 $32.00 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 $377, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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 $377 versus $1,392 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.