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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,104 in Mechelen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,256 in Mechelen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,409 in Mechelen.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 34% less than in Mechelen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Mechelen 54% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$23.12 €19.78

-85.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$111 €95.2

-64.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$14.05 €12.02

-60.00%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$4.50 €3.85

-41.33%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$3.49 €2.98

-54.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$2.93 €2.50

-75.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$5.73 €4.90

-52.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$5.84 €5.00

-26.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.24 €1.06

24.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$2.74 €2.34

-16.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$2.32 €1.99

-55.60%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$4.07 €3.48

-47.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$17.72 €15.16

-2.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$12.60 €10.78

-68.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$20.13 €17.22

-38.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$2.90 €2.48

27.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.43 €2.08

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$2.62 €2.24

-13.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$2.89 €2.48

-31.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$2.26 €1.93

-19.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$2.04 €1.75

10.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$1.37 €1.17

-24.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$1.06 €0.91

-47.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$13.49 €11.54

-83.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$9.25 €7.92

151.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$1.84 €1.57

29.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$2.38 €2.04

20.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$3.45 €2.95

-92.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

$57.4 €49.13

-87.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$5.89 €5.04

-92.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$2.74 €2.35

-83.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$46.77 €40.01

-87.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$2.11 €1.80

-63.98%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$37.0K €31.6K

-33.54%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$34.8K €29.8K

-10.96%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$211 €180

-60.97%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$22.00 €18.82

-71.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$49.41 €42.27

-62.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$31.01 €26.52

80.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

$13.91 €11.90

32.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$15.66 €13.40

-72.80%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$574 €491

-14.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$22.4K €19.1K

-74.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$110 €94.2

-58.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$51.4 €43.96

-30.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$113 €96.8

-29.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$150 €128

-45.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$957 €818

19.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$826 €707

-16.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$1,461 €1,249

141.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$1,249 €1,069

36.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$5,254 €4,495

-47.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$3,722 €3,184

-39.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$2,252 €1,927

-92.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

3.46

298.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Mechelen: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $957 in Mechelen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mechelen pays 1230% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $111 in Mechelen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $357 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Mechelen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1230% lower in Mechelen. 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: $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $957 in Mechelen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 701% less than in Mechelen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $489 in Ubud, Bali versus $574 in Mechelen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,104 in Mechelen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Mechelen. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Mechelen 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Mechelen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.