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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,525 in Muscat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,272 in Muscat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,019 in Muscat.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 8% less than in Muscat, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 2% above, Muscat 11% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$5.34 OMR 2.06

-36.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$34.00 OMR 13.09

13.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$7.74 OMR 2.98

-28.68%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$4.73 OMR 1.82

-44.19%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$0.86 OMR 0.33

94.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.29 OMR 0.11

165.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$13.07 OMR 5.03

-79.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$12.79 OMR 4.92

-66.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$2.25 OMR 0.87

-31.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$1.25 OMR 0.48

77.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$1.90 OMR 0.73

-40.53%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$2.94 OMR 1.13

-28.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$7.65 OMR 2.94

127.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$6.57 OMR 2.53

-41.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$10.54 OMR 4.06

19.07%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$3.41 OMR 1.31

6.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$2.00 OMR 0.77

-22.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$2.32 OMR 0.89

1.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$1.20 OMR 0.46

71.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$1.22 OMR 0.47

55.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$1.29 OMR 0.50

81.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.80 OMR 0.69

-42.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$0.67 OMR 0.26

-17.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$6.30 OMR 2.43

-64.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$15.43 OMR 5.94

54.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$5.68 OMR 2.19

-59.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$8.72 OMR 3.36

-67.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$1.29 OMR 0.49

-79.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

$76.7 OMR 29.52

-88.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$3.21 OMR 1.24

-85.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

$2.59 OMR 1.00

-82.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$7.82 OMR 3.01

-26.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$0.61 OMR 0.23

24.59%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

$25.1K OMR 9,665

-2.47%

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$22.2K OMR 8,564

44.40%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$170 OMR 65.5

-50.85%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$30.94 OMR 11.91

-79.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$69.9 OMR 26.92

-72.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$62.7 OMR 24.14

-10.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

$29.20 OMR 11.24

-36.23%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$10.34 OMR 3.98

-58.61%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$289 OMR 111

68.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

$10.7K OMR 4,110

-45.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$55.7 OMR 21.42

-18.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$43.19 OMR 16.63

-15.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$92.0 OMR 35.43

-10.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$96.0 OMR 36.95

-16.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$673 OMR 259

65.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$455 OMR 175

54.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$1,366 OMR 526

158.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$857 OMR 330

105.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

$2,835 OMR 1,092

-0.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

$1,595 OMR 614

43.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$1,660 OMR 639

-89.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.25

162.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Muscat: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $673 in Muscat. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Muscat pays 878% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Muscat for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $284 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 9% in total monthly costs ($1,396 vs $1,525 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 878% 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: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $673 in Muscat. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $34.00 in Muscat. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,525 in Muscat – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,525 in Muscat, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Muscat. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Muscat. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.