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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $998 in Muar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,503 in Muar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,008 in Muar.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 44% more expensive than Muar, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Muar is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$2.63 MYR 10.41

35.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$23.17 MYR 91.5

40.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$3.36 MYR 13.26

50.89%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.33 MYR 9.19

21.46%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.78 MYR 3.09

71.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.34 MYR 1.34

102.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$4.16 MYR 16.44

-28.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$5.51 MYR 21.78

-30.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.91 MYR 7.53

-8.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.13 MYR 4.45

124.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.42 MYR 5.60

-16.20%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.90 MYR 7.52

27.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$22.60 MYR 89.3

-35.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.86 MYR 19.20

-13.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$10.44 MYR 41.24

14.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.90 MYR 15.40

-5.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.71 MYR 6.74

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$3.30 MYR 13.05

-18.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$2.53 MYR 10.00

-7.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.70 MYR 6.73

12.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.04 MYR 4.10

110.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.08 MYR 4.28

-1.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.56 MYR 2.19

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$4.21 MYR 16.64

-25.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$18.68 MYR 73.8

25.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$4.26 MYR 16.82

-35.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$5.66 MYR 22.34

-49.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.68 MYR 2.69

-57.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$12.00 MYR 47.40

-31.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.17 MYR 4.62

-61.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.14 MYR 4.51

-63.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$4.33 MYR 17.09

42.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.46 MYR 1.83

82.61%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$42.9K MYR 169.3K

-38.78%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$31.1K MYR 122.8K

4.48%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$74.5 MYR 294

5.33%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$9.46 MYR 37.37

-58.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$28.28 MYR 112

-13.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$36.60 MYR 145

163.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$5.80 MYR 22.90

9.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$5.68 MYR 22.42

-28.87%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$118 MYR 464

157.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$4,393 MYR 17.4K

48.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$111 MYR 440

-51.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$27.19 MYR 107

39.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$75.7 MYR 299

14.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$78.5 MYR 310

0.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$380 MYR 1,500

166.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$265 MYR 1,047

154.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$657 MYR 2,595

415.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$480 MYR 1,897

336.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$1,635 MYR 6,460

82.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$903 MYR 3,569

158.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$645 MYR 2,548

-73.16%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Muar: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $380 in Muar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muar pays 273% 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 $23.00 in Muar. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $311, 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 44% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $998 including rent). Muar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Muar earns 273% 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $380 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 47% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $118 in Muar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $998 in Muar versus $1,438 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 44% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.