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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,322 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,928 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,533 in Muscat.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 6% more expensive than in Muscat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Muscat is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$5.29 OMR 2.04

-34.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$25.50 OMR 9.81

26.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$7.99 OMR 3.07

-39.42%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$4.86 OMR 1.87

-43.42%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.01 OMR 0.39

36.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.34 OMR 0.13

120.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$12.41 OMR 4.78

-75.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$11.66 OMR 4.49

-66.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.98 OMR 0.76

-12.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.23 OMR 0.47

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.70 OMR 0.66

-31.18%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.42 OMR 0.93

0.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$3.71 OMR 1.43

290.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.89 OMR 1.88

-11.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$8.27 OMR 3.18

44.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.51 OMR 0.97

48.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.72 OMR 0.66

-5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.78 OMR 0.69

53.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.14 OMR 0.44

96.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.02 OMR 0.39

88.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.98 OMR 0.38

132.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.09 OMR 0.42

-2.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.52 OMR 0.20

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$6.28 OMR 2.42

-47.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$15.71 OMR 6.05

47.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$4.38 OMR 1.68

-36.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$8.02 OMR 3.09

-65.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$1.27 OMR 0.49

-78.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$63.0 OMR 24.25

-87.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$3.16 OMR 1.22

-84.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.80 OMR 0.31

-47.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$10.20 OMR 3.92

-39.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.64 OMR 0.25

26.56%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$22.5K OMR 8,652

18.35%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$21.5K OMR 8,277

49.65%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$109 OMR 41.77

-27.83%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$40.41 OMR 15.55

-89.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$68.5 OMR 26.37

-64.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$48.75 OMR 18.76

102.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$23.23 OMR 8.94

-72.71%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$10.28 OMR 3.96

-61.19%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$190 OMR 73.0

60.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$10.0K OMR 3,860

-33.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$51.0 OMR 19.62

6.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$39.14 OMR 15.06

-3.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$77.6 OMR 29.86

11.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$87.6 OMR 33.71

-12.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$616 OMR 237

61.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$407 OMR 157

65.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,243 OMR 478

171.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$714 OMR 275

187.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$2,866 OMR 1,103

-2.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$1,593 OMR 613

39.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,576 OMR 607

-89.41%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Muscat: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $616 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 844% 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 $26.00 in Muscat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $230 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $1,322 including rent). Muscat is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 844% lower in Muscat. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $616 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,322 in Muscat – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,322 in Muscat versus $1,408 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 6% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.