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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $968 in Nilai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,430 in Nilai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,892 in Nilai.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 41% more expensive than in Nilai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Nilai is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$3.60 MYR 14.69

-4.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$19.73 MYR 80.5

84.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$6.05 MYR 24.69

-5.62%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.49 MYR 14.27

-23.50%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.83 MYR 3.38

110.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.38 MYR 1.56

128.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$3.64 MYR 14.85

-18.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$4.38 MYR 17.88

3.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.84 MYR 7.51

-11.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.37 MYR 5.59

70.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.51 MYR 6.16

-26.49%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.96 MYR 8.00

12.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$13.44 MYR 54.9

31.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$4.38 MYR 17.88

-6.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$9.50 MYR 38.80

28.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$3.15 MYR 12.87

17.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.68 MYR 6.85

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.48 MYR 10.14

-8.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.60 MYR 6.53

21.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.26 MYR 5.13

51.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.15 MYR 4.70

102.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.19 MYR 4.87

-15.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.55 MYR 2.25

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$3.87 MYR 15.79

-42.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$19.30 MYR 78.8

19.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$2.48 MYR 10.14

-2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$3.98 MYR 16.24

-24.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.79 MYR 3.23

-65.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$11.59 MYR 47.32

-22.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.36 MYR 5.57

-64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.45 MYR 1.85

-4.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$7.36 MYR 30.03

-23.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.77 MYR 3.13

3.90%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$48.0K MYR 195.8K

-47.99%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$32.5K MYR 132.6K

-2.34%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$49.46 MYR 202

64.70%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$9.59 MYR 39.13

-32.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$29.01 MYR 118

-35.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$46.15 MYR 188

23.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$7.28 MYR 29.70

157.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$4.35 MYR 17.77

4.37%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$166 MYR 676

190.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$5,126 MYR 20.9K

11.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$67.1 MYR 274

-32.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$29.73 MYR 121

20.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$83.8 MYR 342

-4.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$79.6 MYR 325

-1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$420 MYR 1,713

165.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$311 MYR 1,268

124.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$691 MYR 2,822

426.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$491 MYR 2,005

253.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$1,866 MYR 7,619

49.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$1,265 MYR 5,166

80.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,423 MYR 5,811

-88.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.2

228.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Nilai: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $420 in Nilai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nilai pays 747% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $20.00 in Nilai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $257 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 41% 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 747% 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $420 in Nilai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $968 in Nilai – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nilai runs roughly 29% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $968 in Nilai versus $1,368 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 $968 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 41% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.