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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $506 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $861 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,216 in Molo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 184% more expensive than Molo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Molo is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$5.34 KES 690

-33.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$38.63 KES 4,987

-15.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$6.88 KES 888

-26.31%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.37 KES 305

19.41%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.72 KES 92.8

86.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.50 KES 64.8

38.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.38 KES 307

25.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.84 KES 367

35.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.86 KES 111

102.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.57 KES 73.4

345.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.57 KES 203

-24.20%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.65 KES 212

47.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$11.41 KES 1,473

28.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$6.82 KES 880

-38.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$5.53 KES 714

115.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.04 KES 393

21.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.04 KES 134

54.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.18 KES 281

23.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.05 KES 136

121.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.02 KES 132

87.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.17 KES 152

87.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.68 KES 88.2

55.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.82 KES 106

-12.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$3.16 KES 408

-0.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$11.54 KES 1,489

103.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.27 KES 293

20.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.78 KES 359

3.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.53 KES 198

-70.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.57 KES 203

-73.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$2.95 KES 381

108.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.53 KES 198

-45.10%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$21.6K KES 2.8M

21.26%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$19.7K KES 2.5M

64.46%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$33.79 KES 4,361

132.08%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$17.03 KES 2,198

-76.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$38.64 KES 4,987

-36.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$6.21 KES 801

-34.94%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$202 KES 26.1K

49.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$7,979 KES 1.0M

-18.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$18.34 KES 2,368

193.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$23.57 KES 3,042

61.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$66.1 KES 8,529

31.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$56.5 KES 7,288

39.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$388 KES 50.1K

-55.39%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Molo: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Molo pays 124% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $39.00 in Molo. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $205, 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 184% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Molo earns 124% 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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $506 in Molo – a 184% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $506 in Molo versus $1,438 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 184% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.