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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,488 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,416 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,344 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 0% above, Male 8% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$6.03 MVR 93.0

-44.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$39.37 MVR 607

-9.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$9.61 MVR 148

-41.42%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.96 MVR 76.4

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.98 MVR 76.7

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$3.52 MVR 54.3

-19.89%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$1.59 MVR 24.58

10.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.31 MVR 4.85

158.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$2.04 MVR 31.46

-21.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.70 MVR 26.18

33.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.20 MVR 18.50

-2.50%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.95 MVR 30.10

11.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$10.84 MVR 167

62.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$5.93 MVR 91.5

-31.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$9.35 MVR 144

30.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.86 MVR 59.5

-6.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$3.11 MVR 48.02

-47.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$4.17 MVR 64.4

-44.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$2.66 MVR 41.05

-26.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$2.10 MVR 32.32

-12.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.91 MVR 29.39

24.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$2.16 MVR 33.25

-51.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.57 MVR 8.85

-5.26%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.30 MVR 190

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.69 MVR 41.43

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 MVR 31.11

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$14.59 MVR 225

-84.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.67 MVR 10.29

-62.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$30.14 MVR 465

-68.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.98 MVR 30.59

-75.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.89 MVR 29.18

-75.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$10.17 MVR 157

-44.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.03 MVR 15.84

-21.36%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$32.4K MVR 499.6K

-22.80%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$29.4K MVR 454.0K

5.51%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$119 MVR 1,831

-30.34%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$29.81 MVR 460

-78.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$74.1 MVR 1,142

-74.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$70.9 MVR 1,094

-22.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$34.22 MVR 528

-46.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$9.75 MVR 150

-55.90%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$181 MVR 2,797

172.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$3,038 MVR 46.8K

94.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$38.85 MVR 599

19.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$48.67 MVR 751

-25.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$85.6 MVR 1,319

-5.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$52.1 MVR 803

51.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$940 MVR 14.5K

18.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$707 MVR 10.9K

-1.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$2,060 MVR 31.8K

76.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$1,532 MVR 23.6K

11.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,269 MVR 35.0K

21.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,389 MVR 21.4K

65.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$824 MVR 12.7K

-79.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-1.57%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Male: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $940 in Male. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Male pays 393% 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: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $39.00 in Male. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $234, with Male 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 Male: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 393% lower in Male. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $940 in Male. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,488 in Male – a 8% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 220% less than in Male. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,488 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 8% less than in Male. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.