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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $244 in Mandalay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $417 in Mandalay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $590 in Mandalay.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 465% more expensive than in Mandalay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Mandalay is 82% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$2.06 MMK 4,306

61.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$10.09 MMK 21.1K

255.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$1.30 MMK 2,722

116.92%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.82 MMK 1,718

113.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$1.01 MMK 2,122

-20.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.03 MMK 2,153

195.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.22 MMK 2,564

252.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.97 MMK 2,037

65.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.02 MMK 2,138

122.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.54 MMK 1,140

116.67%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$0.92 MMK 1,929

135.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$10.30 MMK 21.6K

71.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$5.94 MMK 12.4K

-31.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$6.81 MMK 14.2K

78.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$4.17 MMK 8,731

-13.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.98 MMK 2,056

67.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.28 MMK 2,687

80.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$0.67 MMK 1,409

192.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.28 MMK 2,683

43.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.23 MMK 2,567

92.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.38 MMK 804

176.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.29 MMK 600

86.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$0.98 MMK 2,044

134.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$4.99 MMK 10.4K

362.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.56 MMK 1,177

317.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.38 MMK 804

23.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$4.02 MMK 8,413

39.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$6.82 MMK 14.3K

-4.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$17.96 MMK 37.6K

207.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$235 MMK 492.1K

110.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$5,813 MMK 12.2M

1.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$197 MMK 411.7K

466.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$299 MMK 626.3K

1116.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$199 MMK 417.1K

-16.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mandalay: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $197 in Mandalay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandalay pays 19% 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 $10.00 in Mandalay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $166 per month, with Mandalay 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 Mandalay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mandalay wins on cost – living expenses run 465% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mandalay the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 19% lower in Mandalay. 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 $197 in Mandalay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $244 in Mandalay – a 465% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $244 in Mandalay versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mandalay but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Mandalay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mandalay delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $244 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mandalay hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Mandalay 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 Mandalay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 465% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.