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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,237 in Mahboula.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,003 in Mahboula.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,768 in Mahboula.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Mahboula is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$6.35 KWD 1.95

-43.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$26.37 KWD 8.09

24.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$8.93 KWD 2.74

-44.57%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 KWD 0.49

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.31 KWD 1.02

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$6.09 KWD 1.87

-55.50%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.51 KWD 0.16

162.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.15 KWD 0.05

366.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.61 KWD 0.49

12.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.99 KWD 0.30

154.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.70 KWD 0.52

-31.76%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.28 KWD 0.39

92.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$5.11 KWD 1.57

187.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$6.61 KWD 2.03

-34.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$10.29 KWD 3.16

17.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.44 KWD 0.75

57.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.98 KWD 0.61

-21.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.79 KWD 0.55

58.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.15 KWD 0.35

102.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.26 KWD 0.39

51.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.17 KWD 0.36

88.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.62 KWD 0.50

-37.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.46 KWD 0.14

69.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.24 KWD 1.00

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$1.65 KWD 0.51

101.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.84 KWD 0.26

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$49.37 KWD 15.14

-83.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$1.68 KWD 0.51

-72.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-72.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$5.68 KWD 1.74

7.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.16 KWD 0.05

393.75%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$19.7K KWD 6,055

32.46%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$17.7K KWD 5,439

81.11%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$61.8 KWD 18.95

29.37%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$16.14 KWD 4.95

-74.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$25.77 KWD 7.90

-8.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$95.6 KWD 29.33

3.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$46.51 KWD 14.26

-85.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$11.48 KWD 3.52

-63.85%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$385 KWD 118

-20.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$6,504 KWD 1,995

1.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$41.85 KWD 12.83

32.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$42.12 KWD 12.92

-9.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$88.9 KWD 27.27

-0.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$80.5 KWD 24.70

-3.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$731 KWD 224

37.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$503 KWD 154

34.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$1,781 KWD 546

93.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$1,128 KWD 346

80.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,282 KWD 393

-87.11%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mahboula: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $731 in Mahboula. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahboula pays 676% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $26.00 in Mahboula for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $172 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, Mahboula earns 676% 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 $731 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. 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 $1,237 in Mahboula – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,237 in Mahboula versus $1,419 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.