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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $670 in Msaken.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,077 in Msaken.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,483 in Msaken.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 112% more expensive than Msaken, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Msaken is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$4.96 TND 14.38

-28.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$24.14 TND 69.9

35.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$5.06 TND 14.65

-2.17%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.02 TND 2.96

165.69%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.69 TND 2.01

94.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.29 TND 0.84

141.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$1.17 TND 3.40

149.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$2.76 TND 7.99

43.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$0.49 TND 1.43

269.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.17 TND 0.48

1382.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.29 TND 3.74

-10.08%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.67 TND 4.85

47.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$12.06 TND 34.91

21.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$6.33 TND 18.33

-31.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$13.76 TND 39.85

-11.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$2.09 TND 6.05

83.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$3.20 TND 9.28

-51.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.12 TND 3.25

152.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$0.75 TND 2.18

210.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$0.70 TND 2.01

172.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$0.59 TND 1.71

272.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.40 TND 1.17

152.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.29 TND 0.84

168.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$3.43 TND 9.94

-3.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$5.93 TND 17.18

300.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.15 TND 3.34

142.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$1.33 TND 3.85

115.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.35 TND 1.02

-22.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$9.97 TND 28.89

-19.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$0.31 TND 0.88

48.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.31 TND 0.89

45.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$3.49 TND 10.11

74.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.88 TND 2.55

-10.23%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$40.0K TND 115.8K

-34.60%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$35.9K TND 103.9K

-10.45%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$58.2 TND 169

37.28%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$9.99 TND 28.92

-59.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$18.91 TND 54.8

24.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$23.79 TND 68.9

314.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$12.54 TND 36.33

-47.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$5.32 TND 15.40

-21.99%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$106 TND 307

186.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$3,137 TND 9,086

110.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$41.07 TND 119

35.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$60.7 TND 176

-36.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$101 TND 292

-12.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$79.2 TND 229

-1.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$195 TND 564

416.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$136 TND 394

396.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$373 TND 1,081

822.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$269 TND 778

659.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$987 TND 2,859

187.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$715 TND 2,070

216.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$248 TND 717

-33.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.96

21.17%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Msaken: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $195 in Msaken. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Msaken pays 50% 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 $24.00 in Msaken for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $194 per month, with Msaken 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 Msaken: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Msaken is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out. The 112% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Msaken earns 50% 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 $195 in Msaken. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Msaken runs roughly 24% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $106 in Msaken. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $670 in Msaken versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Msaken but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Msaken the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Msaken 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 Msaken 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 Msaken gentler on the wallet – expenses run 112% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.