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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,831 in Mahe.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,484 in Mahe.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,138 in Mahe.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 23% less than in Mahe, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Mahe 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$15.62 SCR 224

-77.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$70.1 SCR 1,004

-53.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$7.82 SCR 112

-38.11%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$4.34 SCR 62.3

-36.64%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$2.29 SCR 32.85

-39.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.75 SCR 25.10

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$8.43 SCR 121

-64.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$5.26 SCR 75.3

-26.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.53 SCR 21.95

13.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.04 SCR 14.87

136.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.77 SCR 25.31

-33.90%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$4.09 SCR 58.6

-40.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$15.62 SCR 224

-7.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$7.82 SCR 112

-44.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$12.50 SCR 179

-4.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.02 SCR 28.94

84.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$2.24 SCR 32.15

22.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$5.08 SCR 72.8

-55.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.99 SCR 14.24

93.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.94 SCR 13.44

142.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.03 SCR 14.71

2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$11.97 SCR 172

-72.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.02 SCR 29.01

37.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.05 SCR 29.36

33.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.85 SCR 12.18

-68.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$24.36 SCR 349

-66.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$10.51 SCR 151

-95.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$3.17 SCR 45.40

-86.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$10.43 SCR 149

-40.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.57 SCR 22.42

-48.41%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$83.0 SCR 1,189

-5.55%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$20.78 SCR 298

-80.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$159 SCR 2,276

-84.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$51.9 SCR 744

90.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$6.28 SCR 90.0

-36.46%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$27.08 SCR 388

99.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$10.80 SCR 155

250.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$43.76 SCR 627

98.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$55.5 SCR 794

37.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$844 SCR 12.1K

17.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$862 SCR 12.3K

-21.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,717 SCR 24.6K

96.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$1,038 SCR 14.9K

97.50%

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

$886 SCR 12.7K

-81.15%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Mahe: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $844 in Mahe. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mahe pays 430% 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $70.0 in Mahe. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $240, with Mahe cheaper for home cooking.

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 Mahe: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Mahe. 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, salaries run 430% lower in Mahe. 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 $844 in Mahe. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Mahe pay roughly 24% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,831 in Mahe – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,831 in Mahe, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Mahe. 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 $1,408 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 Mahe 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 30% less than in Mahe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.