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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $406 in Malda.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $577 in Malda.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $749 in Malda.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 237% more expensive than in Malda, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Malda is 70% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$1.01 ₹96.9

240.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$15.80 ₹1,516

129.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$4.24 ₹406

34.67%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$1.59 ₹152

67.92%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.44 ₹41.76

297.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.14 ₹13.54

521.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.89 ₹182

56.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.15 ₹302

43.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.65 ₹62.3

149.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.43 ₹41.24

441.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.50 ₹47.99

122.00%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$0.78 ₹74.6

182.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$5.49 ₹527

222.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$2.27 ₹218

80.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.45 ₹235

51.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$0.82 ₹79.1

93.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.47 ₹141

55.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$0.54 ₹51.7

261.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.20 ₹19.16

855.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.38 ₹36.37

513.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.30 ₹28.46

236.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.14 ₹13.49

292.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$5.09 ₹488

-56.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$10.22 ₹981

125.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.69 ₹162

43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.66 ₹255

12.78%

Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)

$2.14 ₹205

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$0.64 ₹61.6

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.32 ₹30.79

34.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$1.55 ₹149

263.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.12 ₹107

-28.57%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$14.2K ₹1.4M

75.12%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$21.1K ₹2.0M

50.40%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$56.1 ₹5,384

45.15%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$3.18 ₹305

104.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$4.19 ₹402

347.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$3.70 ₹355

22.70%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$38.83 ₹3,725

1137.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$1,979 ₹189.8K

188.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$5.31 ₹510

757.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$22.17 ₹2,127

61.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$32.81 ₹3,148

145.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$27.02 ₹2,592

191.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$162 ₹15.5K

588.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$124 ₹11.9K

461.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$280 ₹26.9K

1196.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$155 ₹14.9K

1021.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.27

48.65%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Malda: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $162 in Malda. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $16.00 in Malda for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $108 per month, with Malda 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 Malda: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Malda is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 237% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $608 in Malda to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $162 in Malda. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 173% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $406 in Malda – a 237% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $406 in Malda versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Malda but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Malda the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Malda 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 Malda 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 Malda gentler on the wallet – expenses run 237% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.