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 $1,397 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $465 in Mersa Matruh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,588 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $755 in Mersa Matruh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,778 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,045 in Mersa Matruh, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 200% more than Mersa Matruh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Mersa Matruh is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 Rp 61.6K

$3.64 E£187

-5.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 Rp 574.4K

$15.51 E£796

106.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 Rp 90.8K

$4.54 E£233

11.23%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.8K

$1.43 E£73.4

89.51%

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

$1.39 Rp 25.0K

$0.31 E£16.14

348.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$0.12 E£5.92

516.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 52.0K

$1.21 E£62.0

138.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.1K

$3.01 E£154

25.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$0.81 E£41.68

120.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 Rp 45.0K

$0.74 E£37.89

239.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$0.66 E£33.97

83.33%

Eggs

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

$1.44 E£73.7

64.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 Rp 259.3K

$3.85 E£197

274.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 Rp 74.6K

$4.33 E£222

-4.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 Rp 217.7K

$9.45 E£485

28.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 Rp 67.7K

$1.43 E£73.4

163.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$0.54 E£27.72

201.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$0.42 E£21.63

545.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$0.36 E£18.54

527.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.6K

$0.40 E£20.64

382.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.4K

$0.41 E£20.82

434.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.22 E£11.22

363.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.21 E£10.75

242.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 57.2K

$1.94 E£99.5

63.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.84 Rp 428.3K

$5.77 E£296

313.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

$1.36 E£69.7

103.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.56 E£132

7.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.20 E£10.14

35.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 Rp 147.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,684

$0.52 E£26.87

-7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,571

$0.46 E£23.66

-8.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 Rp 108.3K

$2.02 E£104

198.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.33 E£16.93

148.48%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.3M

$35.2K E£1.8M

-24.47%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.6M

$33.2K E£1.7M

-2.93%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$11.34 E£582

590.04%

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

$3.91 Rp 70.3K

$5.61 E£288

-30.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 Rp 429.7K

$10.20 E£523

134.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$22.52 E£1,155

327.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 117.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.1K

$3.03 E£155

32.34%

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

$303 Rp 5.4M

$89.0 E£4,567

239.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,551 Rp 117.7M

$1,816 E£93.2K

260.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 Rp 993.9K

$27.46 E£1,409

101.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 Rp 688.6K

$48.58 E£2,492

-21.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

$110 E£5,649

-19.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$50.0 E£2,566

53.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$187 E£9,574

428.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 Rp 12.3M

$101 E£5,157

578.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,420 Rp 61.5M

$313 E£16.0K

993.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 Rp 37.3M

$178 E£9,106

1068.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 Rp 49.6M

$893 E£45.8K

209.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.3M

$405 E£20.8K

453.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$99.2 E£5,090

70.06%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Mersa Matruh: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $187 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 70% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $16.00 in Mersa Matruh. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $128 – 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 200% 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 $2,096 per month in Ubud, Bali and $698 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 $32.00 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 133% 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 $465, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,397. 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 $465 versus $1,397 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.