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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $242 in Mandalay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $425 in Mandalay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $608 in Mandalay.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 474% more expensive than in Mandalay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Mandalay is 82% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

$1.96 MMK 4,100

82.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

$14.40 MMK 30.1K

124.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

$1.32 MMK 2,765

113.64%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.87 MMK 1,818

55.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.97 MMK 2,038

-24.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$0.78 MMK 1,625

275.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

$1.27 MMK 2,649

210.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$0.97 MMK 2,032

83.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

$1.02 MMK 2,144

140.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

$0.54 MMK 1,124

112.96%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

$0.92 MMK 1,919

161.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

$10.23 MMK 21.4K

40.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

$5.91 MMK 12.4K

-29.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

$7.13 MMK 14.9K

69.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

$4.24 MMK 8,883

-14.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.02 MMK 2,127

53.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

$1.26 MMK 2,645

121.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$0.68 MMK 1,430

229.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

$1.27 MMK 2,663

55.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

$1.21 MMK 2,535

88.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

$0.39 MMK 806

169.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.29 MMK 601

172.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

$0.98 MMK 2,062

225.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

$4.97 MMK 10.4K

372.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

$0.59 MMK 1,243

391.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,180

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,311

$0.42 MMK 869

9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

$3.91 MMK 8,182

55.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

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

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

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

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

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

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

$6.62 MMK 13.9K

-38.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$17.84 MMK 37.3K

453.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$237 MMK 496.6K

25.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

$5,822 MMK 12.2M

13.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$201 MMK 420.9K

407.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

$305 MMK 638.6K

1037.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$199 MMK 416.0K

-17.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mandalay: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $201 in Mandalay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandalay pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $14.00 in Mandalay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $167 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 474% 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 21% 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $201 in Mandalay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $242 in Mandalay – a 474% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $242 in Mandalay versus $1,392 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 $242 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 474% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.