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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,770 in Mussaffah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,634 in Mussaffah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,498 in Mussaffah, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 21% cheaper than Mussaffah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ubud, Bali and Mussaffah sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 4%, Mussaffah by 32%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$6.93 AED 25.44

-48.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$33.11 AED 122

-1.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$9.51 AED 34.94

-48.90%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$4.91 AED 18.04

-43.99%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.01 AED 3.72

30.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.35 AED 1.27

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$9.57 AED 35.14

-69.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$9.42 AED 34.61

-59.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.86 AED 6.83

-8.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.19 AED 4.38

107.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.00 AED 7.34

-40.00%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.85 AED 10.48

-14.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$10.24 AED 37.62

40.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$6.76 AED 24.83

-36.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$8.83 AED 32.45

38.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$1.83 AED 6.74

101.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.54 AED 5.64

0.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.47 AED 5.41

89.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.17 AED 4.28

99.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.00 AED 3.69

97.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.19 AED 4.36

94.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.52 AED 5.58

-30.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.63 AED 2.30

15.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$6.24 AED 22.94

-47.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$13.44 AED 49.36

69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.88 AED 6.89

49.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.24 AED 8.23

24.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$1.61 AED 5.92

-81.99%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$53.0 AED 195

-84.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$3.26 AED 11.97

-86.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.53 AED 1.94

-15.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$5.01 AED 18.42

24.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.75 AED 2.77

13.33%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$44.7K AED 164.1K

-41.85%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$22.4K AED 82.1K

41.65%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$143 AED 524

-43.42%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$65.0 AED 239

-93.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$103 AED 378

-76.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$65.5 AED 241

49.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$38.84 AED 143

-83.39%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$12.71 AED 46.68

-68.21%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$631 AED 2,316

-51.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$6,759 AED 24.8K

-2.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$52.5 AED 193

3.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$56.7 AED 208

-31.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$90.9 AED 334

-5.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$81.4 AED 299

-5.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$736 AED 2,704

33.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$770 AED 2,828

-14.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$2,466 AED 9,056

36.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$1,387 AED 5,095

48.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$4,899 AED 18.0K

-44.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$2,304 AED 8,464

-3.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$2,971 AED 10.9K

-94.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.75

179.58%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Mussaffah: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $736 in Mussaffah. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1718% higher in Mussaffah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $33.00 in Mussaffah. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $231 in Mussaffah – so Mussaffah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mussaffah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Mussaffah is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,654 in Mussaffah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $631 in Mussaffah. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 29% cheaper in Mussaffah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,404, than in Mussaffah at $1,770. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Mussaffah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mussaffah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.