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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,818 in Mussaffah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,675 in Mussaffah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,533 in Mussaffah, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 23% cheaper than Mussaffah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ubud, Bali and Mussaffah sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 5%, Mussaffah by 37%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$6.90 AED 25.35

-48.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$32.49 AED 119

-0.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$9.71 AED 35.67

-48.40%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$4.96 AED 18.21

-43.15%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.01 AED 3.71

33.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.37 AED 1.38

97.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$9.73 AED 35.74

-69.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$9.67 AED 35.53

-59.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.83 AED 6.71

-2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.15 AED 4.22

113.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$2.03 AED 7.47

-43.35%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.86 AED 10.50

-15.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$10.21 AED 37.49

40.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$6.92 AED 25.43

-39.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$8.57 AED 31.48

40.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$1.84 AED 6.77

97.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.54 AED 5.65

1.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.42 AED 5.20

96.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.17 AED 4.31

91.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.04 AED 3.83

90.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.17 AED 4.29

94.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.52 AED 5.58

-30.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.59 AED 2.15

33.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$6.34 AED 23.27

-49.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$13.48 AED 49.52

74.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.92 AED 7.05

51.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.26 AED 8.31

22.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$1.62 AED 5.94

-83.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$52.6 AED 193

-84.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$3.22 AED 11.84

-86.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.57 AED 2.08

-19.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$4.82 AED 17.72

25.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.76 AED 2.78

13.16%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$44.9K AED 164.7K

-40.72%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$21.8K AED 80.1K

49.29%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$142 AED 522

-44.43%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$64.7 AED 238

-93.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$101 AED 370

-76.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$64.4 AED 237

53.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$38.74 AED 142

-83.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$12.91 AED 47.42

-68.94%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$639 AED 2,347

-53.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$6,792 AED 24.9K

-2.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$52.8 AED 194

1.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$57.2 AED 210

-33.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$93.3 AED 343

-4.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$82.1 AED 302

-6.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$755 AED 2,774

35.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$748 AED 2,748

-9.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$2,534 AED 9,308

36.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$1,346 AED 4,942

55.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$4,975 AED 18.3K

-45.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$2,345 AED 8,611

-2.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$2,930 AED 10.8K

-94.41%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mussaffah: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $755 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 1690% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $32.00 in Mussaffah. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $230 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 31%, 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 $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,727 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 $297 per month in Ubud, Bali and $639 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 $1,392, than in Mussaffah at $1,818. 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.