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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,501 in Male.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,377 in Male.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,253 in Male.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 6% less than in Male, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Male 12% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$5.37 MVR 82.8

-35.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$29.25 MVR 451

10.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$9.52 MVR 147

-49.16%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.65 MVR 71.7

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 MVR 56.3

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.96 MVR 45.72

-7.09%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.34 MVR 20.62

2.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.27 MVR 4.20

177.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.86 MVR 28.72

-6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.62 MVR 24.95

51.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.31 MVR 20.23

-10.69%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.80 MVR 27.71

35.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$8.25 MVR 127

75.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$6.34 MVR 97.8

-31.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$9.04 MVR 139

32.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$4.00 MVR 61.7

-7.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$3.76 MVR 58.0

-56.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$4.24 MVR 65.4

-35.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$3.27 MVR 50.4

-31.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.55 MVR 23.89

23.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.21 MVR 18.73

88.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$3.09 MVR 47.69

-65.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.53 MVR 8.18

35.85%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$12.46 MVR 192

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.75 MVR 42.41

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.52 MVR 162

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$8.14 MVR 126

-59.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.62 MVR 9.57

-56.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$29.26 MVR 451

-72.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.94 MVR 29.91

-75.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$1.93 MVR 29.80

-78.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$9.79 MVR 151

-36.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.96 MVR 14.77

-15.62%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$31.9K MVR 492.0K

-16.59%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$34.7K MVR 535.8K

-7.36%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$105 MVR 1,612

-25.05%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$41.36 MVR 638

-90.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$75.8 MVR 1,168

-67.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$81.9 MVR 1,263

20.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$44.07 MVR 679

-85.61%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$9.48 MVR 146

-57.91%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$164 MVR 2,524

86.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$3,553 MVR 54.8K

86.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$45.31 MVR 699

19.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$56.0 MVR 864

-32.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$91.2 MVR 1,407

-4.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$53.3 MVR 823

43.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$972 MVR 15.0K

2.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$697 MVR 10.8K

-3.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,665 MVR 25.7K

102.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$1,442 MVR 22.2K

42.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$2,263 MVR 34.9K

23.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$1,886 MVR 29.1K

18.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$866 MVR 13.4K

-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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Male: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $972 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $29.00 in Male for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $233 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, salaries run 419% 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $972 in Male. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,501 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 261% less than in Male. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,501 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.