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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,228 in Mahboula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,997 in Mahboula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,767 in Mahboula.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 15% more expensive than in Mahboula, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Mahboula is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$6.67 KWD 2.07

-48.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$25.91 KWD 8.03

24.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$8.76 KWD 2.72

-44.75%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 KWD 0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 KWD 0.99

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$5.99 KWD 1.86

-54.09%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.51 KWD 0.16

170.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.18 KWD 0.06

316.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.56 KWD 0.48

11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.01 KWD 0.31

143.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.73 KWD 0.53

-32.37%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.28 KWD 0.40

89.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$5.15 KWD 1.60

181.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$6.45 KWD 2.00

-32.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$10.51 KWD 3.26

13.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.35 KWD 0.73

58.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.99 KWD 0.62

-18.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.73 KWD 0.54

58.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.13 KWD 0.35

98.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.23 KWD 0.38

56.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.12 KWD 0.35

103.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.69 KWD 0.52

-37.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.45 KWD 0.14

60.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.28 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.33

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$1.65 KWD 0.51

99.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.86 KWD 0.27

-68.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$49.21 KWD 15.25

-83.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-70.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$1.60 KWD 0.50

-73.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$5.80 KWD 1.80

7.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.20 KWD 0.06

305.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$19.6K KWD 6,082

35.59%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$17.9K KWD 5,543

79.96%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$62.1 KWD 19.25

26.13%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$16.54 KWD 5.13

-75.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$26.13 KWD 8.10

-6.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$93.4 KWD 28.96

5.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$46.15 KWD 14.30

-86.26%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$11.37 KWD 3.52

-64.91%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$392 KWD 122

-22.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$6,467 KWD 2,004

2.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$41.82 KWD 12.96

29.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$42.84 KWD 13.27

-11.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$87.1 KWD 26.99

-0.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$81.3 KWD 25.20

-6.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$723 KWD 224

37.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$497 KWD 154

35.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,824 KWD 565

84.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$1,148 KWD 356

78.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,278 KWD 396

-86.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

7.14

85.99%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mahboula: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $723 in Mahboula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 665% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $26.00 in Mahboula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $171 per month, with Mahboula 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 Mahboula: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mahboula is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 15% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 665% lower in Mahboula. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $723 in Mahboula. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mahboula – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,228 in Mahboula – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,228 in Mahboula versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mahboula but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Mahboula the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mahboula is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Mahboula 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 Mahboula gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.