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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $512 in Malayer.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $813 in Malayer.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,113 in Malayer.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 167% more expensive than in Malayer, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Malayer is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$3.05 $3.05

12.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$18.72 $18.72

93.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$4.03 $4.03

41.69%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 $0.87

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$1.23 $1.23

117.07%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.50 $0.50

250.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.86 $0.86

1.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.68 $0.68

138.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.49 $0.49

375.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$2.04 $2.04

-45.59%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.18 $1.18

86.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$3.63 $3.63

387.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$3.08 $3.08

33.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$10.16 $10.16

19.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$0.96 $0.96

286.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.57 $1.57

1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$0.84 $0.84

171.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$0.56 $0.56

248.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.56 $0.56

241.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.51 $0.51

356.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.55 $0.55

83.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.23 $0.23

139.13%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.55 $0.55

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 $0.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 $1.45

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$2.33 $2.33

-4.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.21 $0.21

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$7.52 $7.52

19.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$0.43 $0.43

11.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.27 $0.27

59.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$2.34 $2.34

141.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.08 $0.08

900.00%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$49.8K $49.8K

-49.94%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$42.9K $42.9K

-26.14%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$13.18 $13.18

518.06%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$1.35 $1.35

380.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$3.86 $3.86

386.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$17.85 $17.85

218.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$11.93 $11.93

57.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$1.96 $1.96

131.63%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$104 $104

360.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$1,742 $1,742

227.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$21.19 $21.19

114.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$30.09 $30.09

19.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$104 $104

-22.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$78.9 $78.9

-0.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$294 $294

279.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$202 $202

245.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$665 $665

446.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$336 $336

416.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$1,159 $1,159

140.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$580 $580

294.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$223 $223

-24.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

23.21

-40.63%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Malayer: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $294 in Malayer. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Malayer pays 33% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $19.00 in Malayer for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $109 per month, with Malayer 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 Malayer: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malayer is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 167% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 33% lower in Malayer. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $294 in Malayer. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $104 in Malayer. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 170% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $512 in Malayer versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Malayer but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Malayer the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Malayer 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 Malayer 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 Malayer gentler on the wallet – expenses run 167% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.