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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,397 in Ubud, Bali versus $861 in Nilai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,588 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,314 in Nilai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,778 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,767 in Nilai.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 62% more expensive than in Nilai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Nilai is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

$3.57 MYR 14.58

-3.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 Rp 573.3K

$18.51 MYR 75.7

72.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 Rp 90.6K

$5.93 MYR 24.23

-14.84%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.7K

$2.75 MYR 11.23

-1.45%

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

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

$0.78 MYR 3.18

78.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$0.36 MYR 1.49

105.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

$3.63 MYR 14.83

-20.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$4.90 MYR 20.04

-22.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.86 MYR 7.60

-3.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

$0.95 MYR 3.87

164.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$1.30 MYR 5.33

-6.92%

Eggs

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

$2.06 MYR 8.44

15.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 Rp 258.8K

$14.82 MYR 60.6

-2.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 Rp 74.4K

$4.25 MYR 17.36

-2.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 Rp 217.3K

$9.67 MYR 39.53

25.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 Rp 67.6K

$2.86 MYR 11.68

31.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.45 MYR 5.93

12.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

$2.60 MYR 10.61

4.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$1.39 MYR 5.68

62.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.5K

$1.24 MYR 5.08

55.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

$1.33 MYR 5.43

64.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.99 MYR 4.06

3.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

$0.56 MYR 2.31

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 57.1K

$4.16 MYR 17.00

-23.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.84 Rp 427.5K

$18.99 MYR 77.7

25.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

$2.74 MYR 11.21

1.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.97 MYR 12.16

-7.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,794

$0.73 MYR 2.98

-63.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 Rp 147.0K

$11.82 MYR 48.32

-30.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,668

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-60.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,557

$1.03 MYR 4.22

-59.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 Rp 108.1K

$6.00 MYR 24.53

0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.50 MYR 2.03

64.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 476.4M

$35.9K MYR 147.0K

-26.09%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.6M

$31.3K MYR 128.0K

2.87%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$42.98 MYR 176

82.06%

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

$3.91 Rp 70.2K

$9.09 MYR 37.19

-56.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 Rp 428.9K

$28.68 MYR 117

-16.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$36.80 MYR 150

161.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 117.0K

$5.85 MYR 23.94

11.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.0K

$5.03 MYR 20.57

-20.28%

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

$303 Rp 5.4M

$184 MYR 754

64.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,551 Rp 117.5M

$6,893 MYR 28.2K

-4.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 Rp 992.0K

$60.1 MYR 246

-8.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 Rp 687.3K

$26.93 MYR 110

42.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

$73.2 MYR 299

20.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$51.6 MYR 211

48.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$383 MYR 1,568

157.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 Rp 12.2M

$273 MYR 1,118

149.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,420 Rp 61.3M

$649 MYR 2,653

427.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 Rp 37.2M

$470 MYR 1,922

341.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 Rp 49.5M

$2,336 MYR 9,554

18.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.2M

$1,079 MYR 4,412

107.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$1,414 MYR 5,781

-88.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.07

226.29%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 22, 2026

Last update for Nilai: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $383 in Nilai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nilai pays 738% 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 $19.00 in Nilai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $251 per month, with Nilai 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 Nilai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nilai wins on cost – living expenses run 62% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nilai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 738% lower in Nilai. 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $383 in Nilai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $861 in Nilai – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nilai runs roughly 44% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $861 in Nilai versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nilai but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Nilai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nilai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $861 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nilai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Nilai 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 Nilai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.