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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $978 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,472 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,965 in Mecca.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 40% more expensive than in Mecca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Mecca is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$4.55 SAR 17.08

-24.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$27.00 SAR 101

34.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$6.94 SAR 26.07

-17.72%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.61 SAR 6.05

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 SAR 6.04

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.62 SAR 9.83

1.91%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.72 SAR 2.70

143.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.23 SAR 0.86

278.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.69 SAR 6.35

-4.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.01 SAR 3.80

130.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$2.29 SAR 8.59

-51.53%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.42 SAR 9.09

-9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$6.45 SAR 24.23

174.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$8.03 SAR 30.17

-48.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$12.76 SAR 47.92

-4.55%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.04 SAR 7.67

81.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.66 SAR 6.23

-4.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.61 SAR 6.04

41.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.63 SAR 6.13

19.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.13 SAR 4.26

69.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.31 SAR 4.90

77.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.10 SAR 4.14

-8.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.50 SAR 1.86

10.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.20 SAR 15.76

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 SAR 6.95

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 SAR 7.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$6.71 SAR 25.20

-66.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$1.36 SAR 5.11

-80.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.90 SAR 7.14

-74.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.72 SAR 6.46

-75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$13.53 SAR 50.8

-58.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.61 SAR 2.29

31.15%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$48.0K SAR 180.4K

-48.05%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$21.3K SAR 80.0K

48.93%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$74.4 SAR 279

9.55%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$34.06 SAR 128

-80.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$67.9 SAR 255

-72.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$77.4 SAR 291

-26.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$34.11 SAR 128

-45.09%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$12.06 SAR 45.31

-62.35%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$398 SAR 1,494

20.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$4,586 SAR 17.2K

24.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$22.97 SAR 86.3

98.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$58.8 SAR 221

-39.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$49.77 SAR 187

61.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$51.0 SAR 192

54.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$597 SAR 2,241

86.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$313 SAR 1,175

123.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,531 SAR 5,749

137.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$514 SAR 1,931

237.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$6,400 SAR 24.0K

-56.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$2,281 SAR 8,568

0.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,093 SAR 4,107

-84.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.25

162.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Mecca: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $597 in Mecca. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mecca pays 551% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $27.00 in Mecca for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $195 per month, with Mecca 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 Mecca: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mecca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 551% lower in Mecca. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $597 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $978 in Mecca – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $978 in Mecca versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Mecca but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Mecca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Mecca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Mecca 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 Mecca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.