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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,070 in Muar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,567 in Muar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,064 in Muar.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 29% more expensive than in Muar, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Muar is 22% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$5.05 MYR 20.53

-34.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$29.56 MYR 120

21.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$4.04 MYR 16.42

39.36%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$3.23 MYR 13.14

-12.69%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.87 MYR 3.54

101.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.46 MYR 1.89

73.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$4.42 MYR 17.97

-31.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$6.06 MYR 24.64

-29.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$2.10 MYR 8.56

-23.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.12 MYR 4.56

102.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$2.01 MYR 8.18

-41.79%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.59 MYR 10.54

-16.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$15.69 MYR 63.8

12.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.79 MYR 19.49

-15.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$9.67 MYR 39.35

25.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.43 MYR 13.94

5.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.84 MYR 7.50

-10.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.37 MYR 9.63

-2.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.61 MYR 6.54

21.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.32 MYR 5.36

39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.39 MYR 5.66

70.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.21 MYR 4.91

-13.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.75 MYR 3.05

-28.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.33 MYR 17.61

-46.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$19.37 MYR 78.8

19.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$3.43 MYR 13.95

-31.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$4.87 MYR 19.81

-36.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.77 MYR 3.11

-67.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$12.44 MYR 50.6

-24.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.22 MYR 4.98

-59.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.50 MYR 2.04

-6.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$4.94 MYR 20.10

13.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.77 MYR 3.13

5.19%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$42.6K MYR 173.5K

-41.35%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$35.7K MYR 145.4K

-13.06%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$64.7 MYR 263

27.85%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$9.18 MYR 37.34

-29.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$25.92 MYR 105

-27.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$41.05 MYR 167

34.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$6.51 MYR 26.46

179.72%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.44 MYR 22.12

-20.96%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$304 MYR 1,237

62.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$4,996 MYR 20.3K

18.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$72.0 MYR 293

-35.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$43.22 MYR 176

-15.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$89.0 MYR 362

-9.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$97.8 MYR 398

-19.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$428 MYR 1,741

160.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$334 MYR 1,358

107.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$695 MYR 2,829

423.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$492 MYR 2,000

248.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,032 MYR 8,268

35.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,148 MYR 4,668

99.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$609 MYR 2,478

-72.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.2

228.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Muar: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $428 in Muar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muar pays 265% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $30.00 in Muar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $283 per month, with Muar 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 Muar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Muar differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $1,070 including rent). Muar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 265% 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $428 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 32% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $304 in Muar. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,070 in Muar versus $1,378 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 29% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.