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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,524 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,378 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,232 in Male.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 7% less than in Male, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Male 14% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$5.51 MVR 85.0

-35.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$29.17 MVR 450

12.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$9.86 MVR 152

-49.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.44 MVR 68.5

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 MVR 56.0

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$2.86 MVR 44.15

-5.24%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.28 MVR 19.76

4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.25 MVR 3.83

180.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.79 MVR 27.55

1.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.55 MVR 23.96

62.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.35 MVR 20.89

-14.07%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.80 MVR 27.76

36.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$8.27 MVR 128

77.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$6.30 MVR 97.1

-31.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$9.12 MVR 141

33.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$4.14 MVR 63.8

-7.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$3.78 MVR 58.3

-58.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$4.33 MVR 66.8

-34.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$3.19 MVR 49.24

-26.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.49 MVR 22.98

28.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.23 MVR 18.91

78.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$3.06 MVR 47.22

-66.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.51 MVR 7.83

52.94%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.30 MVR 190

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MVR 41.50

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.51 MVR 162

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$8.33 MVR 128

-60.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.66 MVR 10.18

-59.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$28.81 MVR 444

-72.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$1.94 MVR 29.87

-76.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$1.91 MVR 29.43

-76.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$9.96 MVR 154

-38.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.92 MVR 14.17

-14.13%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$32.2K MVR 497.2K

-18.90%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$34.6K MVR 534.0K

-7.26%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$105 MVR 1,613

-23.56%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$41.62 MVR 642

-90.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$76.6 MVR 1,182

-69.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$80.6 MVR 1,242

22.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$43.50 MVR 671

-84.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$9.81 MVR 151

-57.70%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$163 MVR 2,521

85.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$3,626 MVR 55.9K

82.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$45.36 MVR 700

22.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$55.8 MVR 860

-31.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$89.7 MVR 1,383

-1.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$54.4 MVR 839

43.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$970 MVR 15.0K

3.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$700 MVR 10.8K

-3.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$1,701 MVR 26.2K

102.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$1,427 MVR 22.0K

42.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$2,300 MVR 35.5K

23.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$1,905 MVR 29.4K

18.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$857 MVR 13.2K

-80.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

12.4

7.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Male: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $970 in Male. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 419% 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 $29.00 in Male for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $232 per month, with Male 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 Male: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Male earns 419% 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 $970 in Male. 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 $1,524 in Male – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 259% less than in Male. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,524 in Male, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Male. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Male, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Male 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 7% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.