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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,469 in Mlava.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,065 in Mlava.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,661 in Mlava.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 3% less than in Mlava, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Mlava 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$10.91 zł 39.77

-67.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$26.82 zł 97.8

22.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$8.90 zł 32.45

-44.38%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$2.65 zł 9.64

2.26%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$1.97 zł 7.20

-31.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$1.73 zł 6.32

-59.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$2.65 zł 9.68

10.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$3.96 zł 14.44

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.03 zł 3.74

75.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.34 zł 4.89

88.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.81 zł 6.61

-35.91%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$3.49 zł 12.74

-29.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$9.49 zł 34.61

55.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$6.50 zł 23.72

-33.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$13.27 zł 48.38

-8.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$1.06 zł 3.86

262.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.86 zł 6.78

-16.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$1.95 zł 7.13

45.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$2.76 zł 10.06

-15.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$0.99 zł 3.60

92.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$1.14 zł 4.17

92.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$1.40 zł 5.12

-27.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.69 zł 2.51

13.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$5.04 zł 18.39

-34.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$6.78 zł 24.71

250.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.12 zł 4.09

149.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$1.51 zł 5.51

89.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$1.12 zł 4.07

-75.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$33.03 zł 120

-75.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

$2.23 zł 8.13

-79.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$0.82 zł 3.00

-45.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$13.41 zł 48.89

-54.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.68 zł 6.14

-52.98%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$31.9K zł 116.5K

-18.14%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

$31.6K zł 115.4K

1.50%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$310 zł 1,129

-74.19%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$6.76 zł 24.67

-39.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$8.18 zł 29.84

187.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$36.23 zł 132

172.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$19.32 zł 70.5

-65.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$5.36 zł 19.53

-22.57%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$379 zł 1,383

-19.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$7,776 zł 28.4K

-14.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$83.7 zł 305

-33.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$43.05 zł 157

-11.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$86.0 zł 314

2.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$82.2 zł 300

-5.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

$646 zł 2,357

55.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$504 zł 1,839

33.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$987 zł 3,599

248.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$803 zł 2,926

154.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$3,090 zł 11.3K

-8.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$2,304 zł 8,402

-1.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,097 zł 3,999

-84.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

7.01

89.44%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mlava: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $646 in Mlava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mlava pays 564% 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: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $27.00 in Mlava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $225 per month, with Mlava 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 Mlava: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Mlava earns 564% 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 $646 in Mlava. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $379 in Mlava. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Mlava pay roughly 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,469 in Mlava, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Mlava. 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 Mlava, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Mlava 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 3% less than in Mlava. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.