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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $589 in Malacca, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,363 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $944 in Malacca, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,347 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,298 in Malacca, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 134% more than Malacca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 1% above the global median, while Malacca is 57% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$3.37 MYR 13.60

-1.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$22.39 MYR 90.5

74.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$4.97 MYR 20.10

13.08%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.98 MYR 12.04

-11.41%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$0.84 MYR 3.40

88.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.48 MYR 1.93

47.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$2.01 MYR 8.11

35.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$3.01 MYR 12.17

43.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.68 MYR 6.78

-8.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.07 MYR 4.31

114.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.50 MYR 6.06

-31.33%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$1.66 MYR 6.72

27.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$17.93 MYR 72.4

-3.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$4.66 MYR 18.81

-13.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$10.90 MYR 44.04

13.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$3.31 MYR 13.37

11.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.73 MYR 7.00

-6.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$2.51 MYR 10.13

-9.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.61 MYR 6.52

23.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$1.42 MYR 5.72

28.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$1.74 MYR 7.04

29.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$1.32 MYR 5.32

-21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.55 MYR 2.23

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$4.30 MYR 17.36

-48.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$14.35 MYR 58.0

61.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$2.13 MYR 8.60

12.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$3.04 MYR 12.29

-5.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$0.51 MYR 2.05

-50.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

$12.23 MYR 49.43

-41.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$1.46 MYR 5.91

-68.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.76 MYR 3.06

-39.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$12.38 MYR 50.0

-53.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.49 MYR 1.96

55.10%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$41.8K MYR 169.0K

-41.25%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$36.0K MYR 145.4K

-13.82%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$52.5 MYR 212

56.54%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$11.12 MYR 44.93

-43.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$28.38 MYR 115

-34.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$22.58 MYR 91.2

148.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

$11.81 MYR 47.72

55.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$4.90 MYR 19.80

-13.06%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$167 MYR 675

193.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$4,500 MYR 18.2K

28.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$65.9 MYR 266

-30.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$16.77 MYR 67.8

113.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$81.2 MYR 328

-2.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$41.00 MYR 166

97.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$200 MYR 808

472.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$1,182 MYR 4,775

135.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$796 MYR 3,215

184.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.06

239.41%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Malacca: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $200 in Malacca. 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $22.00 in Malacca. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $260 – making Malacca 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 Malacca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali, $589 in Malacca – roughly 134% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,069 per month in Ubud, Bali and $884 in Malacca. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $22.00 in Malacca. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,379 in Ubud, Bali and $589 in Malacca. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Malacca, where all-in costs run around $589, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,379. In Malacca it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $589 in Malacca to $1,379 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Malacca. 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.