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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $509 in Molo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $843 in Molo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,176 in Molo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 174% more expensive than in 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

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$5.51 KES 713

-35.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$39.20 KES 5,067

-17.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$6.87 KES 888

-27.07%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.45 KES 316

15.10%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.72 KES 92.7

87.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.54 KES 69.5

35.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.27 KES 294

29.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.87 KES 370

37.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.92 KES 119

93.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.57 KES 73.8

329.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.59 KES 206

-27.67%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.68 KES 217

43.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$11.53 KES 1,490

24.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$6.85 KES 885

-38.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$5.46 KES 706

120.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$3.14 KES 406

15.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.07 KES 138

46.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.14 KES 276

30.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.06 KES 137

111.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.03 KES 133

92.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.12 KES 145

103.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.65 KES 83.4

61.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.81 KES 105

-2.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$3.04 KES 393

4.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$11.71 KES 1,514

100.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.22 KES 287

30.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.68 KES 346

2.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.50 KES 194

-70.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.51 KES 195

-69.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$2.83 KES 366

114.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.59 KES 206

-45.91%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$21.7K KES 2.8M

22.60%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$20.2K KES 2.6M

61.15%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$34.40 KES 4,447

129.71%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$17.11 KES 2,211

-76.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$39.29 KES 5,078

-39.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$6.28 KES 812

-36.15%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$202 KES 26.1K

47.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$7,932 KES 1.0M

-16.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$18.28 KES 2,363

192.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$24.43 KES 3,157

56.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$66.2 KES 8,560

33.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$57.0 KES 7,361

34.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$390 KES 50.4K

-58.04%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Molo: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Molo pays 138% 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 $298 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 174% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 138% lower in Molo. 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 44% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $509 in Molo – a 174% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $509 in Molo versus $1,392 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 174% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.