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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,065 in Mecca.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,917 in Mecca.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,769 in Mecca.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 33% more expensive than Mecca, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Mecca is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$4.89 SAR 18.35

-27.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$39.53 SAR 148

-17.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$9.39 SAR 35.24

-47.28%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.62 SAR 6.08

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 SAR 6.01

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$3.16 SAR 11.87

-14.24%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.87 SAR 3.25

54.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.29 SAR 1.07

141.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.64 SAR 6.16

10.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.89 SAR 3.34

183.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$2.24 SAR 8.41

-48.21%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.98 SAR 11.19

-17.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$7.04 SAR 26.43

108.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$8.39 SAR 31.49

-48.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$13.38 SAR 50.2

-9.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$2.31 SAR 8.69

66.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.61 SAR 6.06

-3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.77 SAR 6.65

59.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$2.04 SAR 7.66

14.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.26 SAR 4.73

51.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.24 SAR 4.67

77.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.06 SAR 3.96

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.68 SAR 2.56

14.71%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$4.04 SAR 15.18

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 SAR 7.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 SAR 7.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$8.01 SAR 30.07

-58.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$1.31 SAR 4.92

-79.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$40.59 SAR 152

-80.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$2.44 SAR 9.14

-81.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$1.83 SAR 6.89

-75.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$10.59 SAR 39.75

-42.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.60 SAR 2.26

31.67%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$26.8K SAR 100.4K

-2.27%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$21.4K SAR 80.5K

49.79%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$77.7 SAR 291

2.95%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$35.25 SAR 132

-88.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$65.8 SAR 247

-64.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$87.6 SAR 329

12.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$34.97 SAR 131

-81.04%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$18.59 SAR 69.8

-77.68%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$404 SAR 1,518

-24.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$4,604 SAR 17.3K

43.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$22.51 SAR 84.5

146.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$62.5 SAR 235

-38.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$58.8 SAR 221

50.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$51.1 SAR 192

52.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$231 SAR 868

335.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$282 SAR 1,059

139.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$669 SAR 2,510

414.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$1,026 SAR 3,851

98.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$6,512 SAR 24.4K

-56.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$2,238 SAR 8,400

1.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,075 SAR 4,035

-84.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.5

141.45%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mecca: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $231 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: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $40.00 in Mecca. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $207, with Mecca cheaper for home cooking.

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, Clothing & Footwear. The 33% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mecca earns 551% 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $231 in Mecca. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,065 in Mecca – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Mecca runs roughly 405% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,065 in Mecca versus $1,419 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 33% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.