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 $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $789 in Mbabane, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,281 in Mbabane, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,772 in Mbabane, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 75% more than Mbabane, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Mbabane is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$10.81 SZL 174

-69.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$34.66 SZL 558

3.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$5.98 SZL 96.2

-5.85%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.73 SZL 43.90

3.30%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$1.12 SZL 18.09

56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.63 SZL 10.15

26.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.21 SZL 35.61

37.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.45 SZL 39.46

75.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.62 SZL 25.99

-0.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.88 SZL 14.22

157.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.80 SZL 29.01

-35.00%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.91 SZL 30.73

13.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$11.18 SZL 180

57.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$6.00 SZL 96.5

-32.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$5.35 SZL 86.1

127.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$1.79 SZL 28.80

102.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.68 SZL 11.00

141.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.30 SZL 20.87

77.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.48 SZL 23.85

32.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.31 SZL 21.01

40.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.63 SZL 26.23

45.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.74 SZL 11.84

41.89%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.84 SZL 13.49

-35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.93 SZL 47.15

-21.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$6.35 SZL 102

263.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.68 SZL 26.96

39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.68 SZL 27.01

82.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.72 SZL 11.56

-65.28%

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

$1.51 SZL 24.23

-68.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$3.22 SZL 51.7

73.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.27 SZL 20.39

-36.22%

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

$65.5 SZL 1,054

26.23%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$38.82 SZL 625

-83.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$28.63 SZL 461

-34.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$23.39 SZL 376

136.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$3.08 SZL 49.59

491.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$3.76 SZL 60.5

14.36%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$6,482 SZL 104.3K

-8.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$35.36 SZL 569

30.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$15.33 SZL 247

137.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$73.7 SZL 1,185

9.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$56.3 SZL 906

39.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$287 SZL 4,616

288.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$186 SZL 2,987

273.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$474 SZL 7,622

667.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$361 SZL 5,808

374.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$500 SZL 8,046

451.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$378 SZL 6,076

507.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

7.25

90.07%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Mbabane: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $287 in Mbabane. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $35.00 in Mbabane. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $190 – 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 75% 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 $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,183 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.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,378 in Ubud, Bali and $789 in Mbabane. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Groceries cost about 55% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mbabane, where all-in costs run around $789, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. 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 $789 versus $1,378 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.