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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $739 in Mbabane, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,171 in Mbabane, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,604 in Mbabane, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 90% more than Mbabane, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Mbabane is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$3.06 SZL 50.7

12.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$28.45 SZL 471

13.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$2.23 SZL 36.92

117.04%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$1.90 SZL 31.46

44.74%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.93 SZL 15.32

48.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.55 SZL 9.14

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$1.70 SZL 28.07

75.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$1.71 SZL 28.32

125.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.03 SZL 17.10

68.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$0.73 SZL 12.03

236.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.22 SZL 20.23

-4.10%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$1.71 SZL 28.22

42.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$9.18 SZL 152

57.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$4.86 SZL 80.4

-10.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$5.26 SZL 87.0

127.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$1.50 SZL 24.76

148.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$0.71 SZL 11.81

129.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$0.96 SZL 15.86

185.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.37 SZL 22.60

63.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$1.01 SZL 16.72

90.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.28 SZL 21.19

78.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.53 SZL 8.74

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.76 SZL 12.60

-5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$2.58 SZL 42.73

27.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$5.92 SZL 98.0

291.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.49 SZL 24.62

86.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$1.38 SZL 22.86

97.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$1.13 SZL 18.75

-76.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$29.44 SZL 487

-72.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$3.39 SZL 56.0

-85.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$2.66 SZL 44.05

-84.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$3.40 SZL 56.3

82.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.13 SZL 18.65

-28.32%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$16.9K SZL 279.6K

57.44%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$21.3K SZL 351.6K

51.44%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$75.8 SZL 1,254

3.39%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$34.48 SZL 570

-88.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$28.09 SZL 465

-13.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$27.68 SZL 458

256.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$5.00 SZL 82.8

26.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$3.53 SZL 58.4

13.03%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$109 SZL 1,796

181.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$4,599 SZL 76.1K

44.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$45.28 SZL 749

19.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$23.57 SZL 390

60.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$71.5 SZL 1,183

21.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$83.7 SZL 1,384

-8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$263 SZL 4,346

277.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$180 SZL 2,979

273.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$502 SZL 8,312

571.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$377 SZL 6,240

443.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$486 SZL 8,045

476.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$365 SZL 6,034

510.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$673 SZL 11.1K

-75.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.62

14.29%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mbabane: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $263 in Mbabane. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 303% higher in Mbabane, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $28.00 in Mbabane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $158 – making Mbabane the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mbabane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 90% more than Mbabane, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,109 in Mbabane. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mbabane, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 263% less in Mbabane. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $109 in Mbabane. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mbabane, where all-in costs run around $739, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Mbabane it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Mbabane costs $739 versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mbabane. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.