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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $505 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $847 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,189 in Molo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 176% more expensive than Molo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Molo is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

$5.28 KES 683

-35.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

$38.84 KES 5,026

-16.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

$6.86 KES 887

-27.11%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

$2.38 KES 308

18.49%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$0.75 KES 97.4

84.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.50 KES 65.1

46.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$2.34 KES 303

27.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

$2.98 KES 386

33.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

$0.86 KES 111

108.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$0.53 KES 68.9

364.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

$1.66 KES 214

-27.71%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

$1.62 KES 209

47.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

$11.71 KES 1,515

22.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

$6.78 KES 878

-36.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

$5.70 KES 738

107.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

$3.14 KES 407

20.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$1.05 KES 136

55.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

$2.18 KES 282

28.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

$1.01 KES 131

123.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

$1.07 KES 139

86.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$1.16 KES 150

90.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

$0.69 KES 89.3

55.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.81 KES 104

-6.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

$3.03 KES 393

3.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

$11.83 KES 1,531

101.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

$2.20 KES 284

29.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

$2.78 KES 360

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,726

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,034

$1.58 KES 204

-71.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,578

$1.53 KES 198

-71.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

$2.84 KES 367

110.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.51 KES 196

-47.02%

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

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

$21.3K KES 2.8M

20.94%

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

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

$20.1K KES 2.6M

58.38%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$33.87 KES 4,383

138.38%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

$16.78 KES 2,172

-75.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

$39.45 KES 5,105

-38.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

$6.31 KES 816

-35.97%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$202 KES 26.1K

47.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

$8,085 KES 1.0M

-18.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

$18.35 KES 2,374

200.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

$24.47 KES 3,167

57.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$66.2 KES 8,566

30.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$56.6 KES 7,320

37.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$389 KES 50.3K

-56.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

14.84

-10.51%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Molo: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Molo pays 130% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $39.00 in Molo. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $207, with Molo cheaper for home cooking.

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 Molo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Molo is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 176% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Molo earns 130% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $505 in Molo – a 176% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $505 in Molo versus $1,394 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Molo but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Molo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Molo 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 Molo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 176% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.