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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,331 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,982 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,633 in Muscat.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 7% more expensive than Muscat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Muscat is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$5.29 OMR 2.04

-32.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$26.39 OMR 10.16

24.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$7.84 OMR 3.02

-36.86%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$4.95 OMR 1.90

-45.25%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$1.02 OMR 0.39

31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.34 OMR 0.13

105.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$12.16 OMR 4.68

-75.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$11.87 OMR 4.57

-66.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-9.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.20 OMR 0.46

110.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.70 OMR 0.65

-31.76%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.45 OMR 0.94

0.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$3.84 OMR 1.48

283.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$5.16 OMR 1.98

-16.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$8.46 OMR 3.26

43.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.54 OMR 0.98

51.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-9.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.77 OMR 0.68

59.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.13 OMR 0.44

106.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.00 OMR 0.38

91.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.02 OMR 0.39

115.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.03 OMR 0.40

-1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.56 OMR 0.22

39.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$6.22 OMR 2.39

-46.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$15.55 OMR 5.99

52.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$4.25 OMR 1.64

-34.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$7.90 OMR 3.04

-63.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-78.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$62.3 OMR 23.99

-87.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$3.16 OMR 1.22

-85.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.80 OMR 0.31

-43.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-41.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.60 OMR 0.23

31.67%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$22.8K OMR 8,778

14.70%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$21.8K OMR 8,405

47.12%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$107 OMR 41.32

-25.52%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$40.60 OMR 15.63

-90.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$70.5 OMR 27.13

-66.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$47.24 OMR 18.19

108.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$22.99 OMR 8.85

-71.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$10.47 OMR 4.03

-60.36%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$192 OMR 74.1

57.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$9,757 OMR 3,756

-32.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$50.7 OMR 19.53

9.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$39.51 OMR 15.21

-3.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$79.4 OMR 30.56

11.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$90.0 OMR 34.66

-13.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$619 OMR 238

62.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$410 OMR 158

64.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$1,222 OMR 470

181.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$730 OMR 281

179.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$2,666 OMR 1,026

6.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$1,552 OMR 597

45.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,654 OMR 637

-90.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.15

157.86%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Muscat: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $619 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 901% 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 $26.00 in Muscat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $231 per month, with Muscat 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 Muscat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Muscat differ by about 7% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $1,331 including rent). Muscat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Muscat earns 901% 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 $619 in Muscat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Muscat – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,331 in Muscat – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,331 in Muscat versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Muscat but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Muscat 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 Muscat 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 Muscat gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.