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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $240 in Mandalay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $432 in Mandalay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $624 in Mandalay.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 485% more expensive than Mandalay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Mandalay is 82% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$1.95 MMK 4,093

83.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$14.31 MMK 30.0K

127.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$1.31 MMK 2,750

109.92%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.83 MMK 1,741

59.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.98 MMK 2,055

-28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$0.84 MMK 1,759

246.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$1.22 MMK 2,563

210.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$0.98 MMK 2,042

74.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.02 MMK 2,127

142.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.53 MMK 1,110

126.42%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$0.94 MMK 1,959

159.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$10.03 MMK 21.0K

43.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$5.90 MMK 12.3K

-26.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$6.91 MMK 14.5K

76.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$4.13 MMK 8,654

-10.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.02 MMK 2,140

51.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.32 MMK 2,766

111.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$0.72 MMK 1,513

223.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.33 MMK 2,789

48.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.17 MMK 2,440

97.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.38 MMK 796

178.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.29 MMK 604

151.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$0.99 MMK 2,066

231.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$5.14 MMK 10.8K

343.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$0.56 MMK 1,167

401.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.38 MMK 805

18.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$4.09 MMK 8,561

52.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$6.47 MMK 13.6K

-37.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$18.25 MMK 38.2K

435.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$240 MMK 502.4K

26.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$5,807 MMK 12.2M

14.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$204 MMK 426.7K

383.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$302 MMK 632.9K

1014.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$200 MMK 417.7K

-18.09%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mandalay: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $204 in Mandalay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandalay pays 22% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $14.00 in Mandalay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 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 485% 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, Mandalay earns 22% 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $204 in Mandalay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $240 in Mandalay – a 485% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $240 in Mandalay versus $1,404 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 $240 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 485% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.