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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,458 in Mlava.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,103 in Mlava.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,748 in Mlava.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 4% less than in Mlava, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 2% above, Mlava 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$10.83 zł 40.23

-68.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$27.30 zł 101

41.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$8.06 zł 29.94

-31.51%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$2.70 zł 10.02

-2.22%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$1.99 zł 7.38

-16.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.71 zł 6.34

-54.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.74 zł 10.18

-4.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$3.87 zł 14.39

10.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.07 zł 3.97

44.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$1.77 zł 6.58

25.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$0.95 zł 3.53

18.95%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$4.00 zł 14.85

-47.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$9.55 zł 35.48

82.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$7.25 zł 26.93

-46.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$12.23 zł 45.43

2.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$1.42 zł 5.26

154.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.83 zł 6.81

-14.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.63 zł 6.04

44.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$3.22 zł 11.97

-36.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$0.99 zł 3.68

91.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.38 zł 5.11

69.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.17 zł 4.35

-11.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$0.69 zł 2.57

-20.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$5.02 zł 18.63

-55.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$6.56 zł 24.38

262.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.11 zł 4.13

108.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$1.42 zł 5.26

97.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$1.17 zł 4.34

-76.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$33.50 zł 124

-74.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$2.32 zł 8.63

-79.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.88 zł 3.25

-48.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$10.42 zł 38.71

-45.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.60 zł 5.93

-52.50%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$31.8K zł 118.1K

-23.02%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$29.0K zł 107.7K

10.78%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$264 zł 981

-68.37%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$6.75 zł 25.07

-4.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$8.04 zł 29.86

136.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$40.21 zł 149

39.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$23.60 zł 87.7

-21.10%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$5.35 zł 19.89

-20.00%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$337 zł 1,252

44.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$5,444 zł 20.2K

7.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$85.7 zł 318

-46.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$38.45 zł 143

-5.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$93.1 zł 346

-11.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$81.6 zł 303

-1.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$623 zł 2,315

79.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$515 zł 1,912

36.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$1,043 zł 3,875

239.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$881 zł 3,272

100.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$3,093 zł 11.5K

-8.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$2,322 zł 8,623

-1.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$1,080 zł 4,010

-84.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.89

100.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Mlava: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $623 in Mlava. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mlava pays 536% 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 $27.00 in Mlava for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $231 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 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 536% lower in Mlava. 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: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $623 in Mlava. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $487 in Ubud, Bali versus $337 in Mlava. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Mlava pay roughly 27% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,458 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 4% less than in Mlava. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.