Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Mersa Matruh Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Mersa Matruh

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $476 in Mersa Matruh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $752 in Mersa Matruh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,028 in Mersa Matruh, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 195% more than Mersa Matruh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Mersa Matruh is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.8K

$3.64 E£189

-1.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 590.5K

$15.86 E£825

104.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 88.4K

$4.72 E£245

2.97%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.9K

$1.51 E£78.5

82.12%

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

$1.32 Rp 24.0K

$0.29 E£15.04

355.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.8K

$0.12 E£6.21

483.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.9K

$1.22 E£63.6

138.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.9K

$3.05 E£158

24.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 31.1K

$0.87 E£45.21

96.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 45.0K

$0.72 E£37.60

243.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

$0.71 E£36.67

69.01%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 44.4K

$1.46 E£75.8

67.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 261.3K

$3.95 E£206

264.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 78.2K

$4.46 E£232

-3.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 221.8K

$9.72 E£505

25.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.9K

$1.42 E£73.6

159.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 28.2K

$0.54 E£28.03

187.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.6K

$0.43 E£22.31

548.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 42.4K

$0.37 E£19.14

529.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.8K

$0.38 E£19.65

418.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 42.0K

$0.40 E£20.88

477.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.3K

$0.24 E£12.55

341.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.18 E£9.40

305.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 59.6K

$2.02 E£105

62.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 414.1K

$5.73 E£298

297.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 51.0K

$1.34 E£69.9

109.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 50.5K

$2.67 E£139

4.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,290

$0.17 E£9.06

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 146.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,159

$0.53 E£27.54

-15.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,207

$0.43 E£22.13

4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 113.3K

$2.00 E£104

212.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.4K

$0.33 E£17.23

157.58%

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

$26.0K Rp 471.9M

$35.4K E£1.8M

-26.64%

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

$31.7K Rp 575.1M

$33.4K E£1.7M

-5.35%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

$11.36 E£591

610.83%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.7K

$5.80 E£301

-30.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 443.7K

$9.94 E£517

145.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.8M

$22.08 E£1,148

342.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 117.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 73.4K

$2.93 E£152

37.88%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$88.8 E£4,619

242.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 120.3M

$1,820 E£94.6K

263.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 985.2K

$27.94 E£1,453

94.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 704.4K

$49.40 E£2,569

-21.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

$107 E£5,586

-19.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$50.1 E£2,603

53.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.9M

$192 E£9,982

413.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 12.0M

$98.0 E£5,093

571.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 61.2M

$312 E£16.2K

979.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.5M

$178 E£9,236

1063.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.8M

$706 E£36.7K

288.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 40.5M

$356 E£18.5K

525.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 3.0M

$95.8 E£4,980

70.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-21.88%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mersa Matruh: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $192 in Mersa Matruh. 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 71% higher in Ubud, Bali, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $16.00 in Mersa Matruh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $130 – making Mersa Matruh 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 Mersa Matruh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 195% more than Mersa Matruh, 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 $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $714 in Mersa Matruh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $16.00 in Mersa Matruh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 128% 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 Mersa Matruh, where all-in costs run around $476, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. In Mersa Matruh 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. Mersa Matruh costs $476 versus $1,404 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 Mersa Matruh. 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.