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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,000 in Muar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,508 in Muar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,016 in Muar.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 39% more expensive than in Muar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Muar is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

$2.65 MYR 10.82

34.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

$23.99 MYR 98.0

34.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

$3.23 MYR 13.19

55.11%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

$2.32 MYR 9.48

21.55%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.74 MYR 3.00

82.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.36 MYR 1.48

102.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$4.29 MYR 17.53

-31.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

$5.39 MYR 22.03

-26.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$1.85 MYR 7.55

-3.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

$1.08 MYR 4.40

126.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

$1.48 MYR 6.06

-22.30%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

$1.89 MYR 7.74

27.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

$22.49 MYR 91.9

-36.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

$4.97 MYR 20.33

-15.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

$10.67 MYR 43.60

13.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

$3.91 MYR 15.97

-6.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.73 MYR 7.06

-9.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

$3.31 MYR 13.52

-15.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.54 MYR 10.37

-11.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

$1.70 MYR 6.96

16.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

$1.00 MYR 4.07

128.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

$1.08 MYR 4.42

-2.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.52 MYR 2.12

51.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

$4.15 MYR 16.96

-23.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

$18.56 MYR 75.9

26.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

$4.33 MYR 17.71

-33.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

$5.43 MYR 22.18

-49.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

$0.74 MYR 3.04

-63.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

$11.87 MYR 48.53

-29.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,180

$1.16 MYR 4.75

-61.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,311

$1.09 MYR 4.46

-57.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

$4.39 MYR 17.92

38.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.50 MYR 2.06

72.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

$44.3K MYR 181.1K

-40.00%

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

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

$31.4K MYR 128.4K

3.57%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$74.5 MYR 304

6.10%

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

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

$9.92 MYR 40.53

-58.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

$28.49 MYR 116

-16.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$37.05 MYR 151

166.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

$5.93 MYR 24.24

7.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

$5.64 MYR 23.04

-28.90%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$116 MYR 476

155.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

$4,285 MYR 17.5K

54.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

$109 MYR 444

-50.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

$27.51 MYR 112

38.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$76.3 MYR 312

16.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$79.4 MYR 325

-3.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$389 MYR 1,592

161.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$272 MYR 1,111

150.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

$646 MYR 2,640

437.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

$467 MYR 1,908

347.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$1,950 MYR 7,971

39.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

$1,129 MYR 4,613

103.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$608 MYR 2,486

-73.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.96

235.35%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Muar: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $389 in Muar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muar pays 272% 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 $24.00 in Muar. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $310, with Ubud, Bali 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 Muar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Muar differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $1,000 including rent). Muar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 272% lower in Muar. 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $389 in Muar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Muar runs roughly 42% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $116 in Muar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,000 in Muar versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Muar but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Muar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Muar 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 Muar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.