Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and May Pen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and May Pen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $730 in May Pen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $817 in May Pen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $903 in May Pen.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 89% more expensive than in May Pen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, May Pen is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

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

$2.17 JMD 342

-25.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$3.88 JMD 609

-41.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$3.13 JMD 492

-62.62%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$3.51 JMD 551

-38.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$7.77 JMD 1,220

-47.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$4.90 JMD 770

148.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$1.62 JMD 254

123.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$4.93 JMD 774

-66.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$6.42 JMD 1,009

-64.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.87 JMD 293

4.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.95 JMD 307

-5.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.92 JMD 301

23.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$3.20 JMD 502

-67.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$2.91 JMD 457

-81.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$2.18 JMD 342

7.34%

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

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.42 JMD 223

-42.96%

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

$42.36 JMD 6,654

-84.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$54.7 JMD 8,594

-65.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

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

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$15.77 JMD 2,477

193.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$22.45 JMD 3,527

62.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$41.39 JMD 6,502

94.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$53.7 JMD 8,432

46.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$288 JMD 45.2K

141.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

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

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 May Pen: September 7, 2026

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 May Pen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

May Pen wins on cost – living expenses run 89% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making May Pen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,067 in Ubud, Bali and $1,096 in May Pen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% 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 $730 in May Pen – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $730 in May Pen versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in May Pen but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes May Pen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but May Pen delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $730 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes May Pen hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and May Pen 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 May Pen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.