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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,802 in Malaga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,698 in Malaga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,593 in Malaga.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 21% less than in Malaga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Malaga 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$13.88 €11.95

-74.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$64.8 €55.8

-49.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$9.06 €7.80

-45.36%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$2.26 €1.95

19.91%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$2.37 €2.04

-43.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.89 €1.63

-62.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$3.57 €3.07

-18.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$4.44 €3.82

-10.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.20 €1.04

50.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.39 €1.20

81.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.72 €1.48

-32.56%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.68 €2.31

-8.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$15.29 €13.17

-3.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$7.41 €6.38

-41.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$13.87 €11.94

-12.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$2.56 €2.21

50.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.90 €1.63

-17.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.57 €1.35

80.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$2.41 €2.08

-3.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.85 €1.59

3.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.98 €1.70

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.15 €0.99

-12.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.72 €0.62

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$6.28 €5.41

-47.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$6.13 €5.28

287.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.22 €1.05

128.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.46 €2.12

16.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$1.60 €1.38

-83.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$29.70 €25.57

-72.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$4.50 €3.87

-89.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$1.03 €0.88

-56.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$28.82 €24.82

-78.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.84 €1.58

-57.07%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$39.1K €33.6K

-33.05%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$30.7K €26.4K

4.73%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$134 €115

-40.14%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$17.64 €15.19

-76.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$29.28 €25.21

-19.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$47.13 €40.58

109.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$16.76 €14.44

-60.44%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$10.48 €9.02

-60.40%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$461 €397

-34.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$9,996 €8,607

-33.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$80.4 €69.2

-30.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$40.19 €34.61

-4.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$89.9 €77.4

-1.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$117 €101

-33.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$1,185 €1,020

-15.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$873 €752

-22.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$2,087 €1,797

64.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$1,536 €1,323

32.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$5,222 €4,497

-45.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$3,014 €2,596

-24.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,954 €1,683

-91.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.46

283.82%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Malaga: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $1,185 in Malaga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malaga pays 1083% 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: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $65.0 in Malaga. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $257, with Malaga 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 Malaga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Malaga differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $1,802 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Malaga earns 1083% 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 $1,185 in Malaga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,802 in Malaga – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 270% less than in Malaga. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,802 in Malaga, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Malaga. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Malaga 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 27% less than in Malaga. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.