Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nkhotakota

For one person, living is cheaper in Nkhotakota: $275 a month against $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,349

/mo nomad

Nkhotakota

🇲🇼 Malawi

$275

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Nkhotakota

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Nkhotakota actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,349 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $275 in Nkhotakota, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $1,349
Nkhotakota $275

A couple spends around $2,305 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $449 in Nkhotakota, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $2,305
Nkhotakota $449

A family of three spends $3,261 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $622 in Nkhotakota, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $3,261
Nkhotakota $622

Ubud, Bali costs about 391% more than Nkhotakota, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 60.3K

$5.02 MWK 8,612

-33.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.64 Rp 646.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 Rp 100.4K

Cappuccino

$2.72 Rp 49.3K

$5.04 MWK 8,654

-46.03%

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

$1.70 Rp 30.9K

$0.52 MWK 898

226.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 Rp 48.1K

$1.48 MWK 2,536

79.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 Rp 79.5K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

$2.03 MWK 3,494

-26.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 Rp 41.3K

$0.48 MWK 818

375.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

$0.99 MWK 1,699

20.20%

Eggs

$2.04 Rp 36.9K

$1.76 MWK 3,019

15.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.70 Rp 321.1K

$2.95 MWK 5,060

500.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 Rp 71.9K

$2.94 MWK 5,053

34.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 Rp 221.1K

$3.94 MWK 6,765

209.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 66.3K

$5.14 MWK 8,833

-28.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.5K

$3.04 MWK 5,222

-50.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.4K

$1.95 MWK 3,354

14.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.8K

$0.98 MWK 1,689

101.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 33.5K

$1.03 MWK 1,761

79.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 44.0K

$2.06 MWK 3,535

17.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 18.0K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,313

$2.04 MWK 3,507

-75.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 40.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$22.24 Rp 403.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 41.0K

$0.97 MWK 1,667

132.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 Rp 53.9K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,553

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.82 Rp 141.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,972

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,801

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 Rp 98.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 15.0K

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

$23.8K Rp 432.4M

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

$31.7K Rp 575.9M

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

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

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

$6.45 Rp 116.9K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.58 Rp 337.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.48 Rp 897.5K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.65 Rp 320.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.27 Rp 77.5K

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

$491 Rp 8.9M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,674 Rp 102.9M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.64 Rp 809.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 Rp 634.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 Rp 20.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,565 Rp 64.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 Rp 31.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,732 Rp 49.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Nkhotakota: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$672 49.8%

Nkhotakota

–

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$288 21.4%

Nkhotakota

–

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Nkhotakota

–

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Nkhotakota

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$104 7.7%

Nkhotakota

–

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$58 4.3%

Nkhotakota

–

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$11 0.9%

Nkhotakota

–

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇲🇼 Nkhotakota

🕒 Local time

17:09 5:09 PM

11:09 11:09 AM

6 h behind Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

31,974

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Malawian Kwacha MWK MK

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

10,000 MWK = 5.82 USD

10,000 MWK = 5.22 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

MWK, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18,138 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,241 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Malawian Kwacha exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1,717 MWK (10,000 MWK = 5.82 USD). 1 EUR = 1,916 MWK (10,000 MWK = 5.22 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ubud, Bali Nkhotakota 8,830 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Ubud, Bali
Nkhotakota

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Nkhotakota: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 391%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,023 per month in Ubud, Bali and $412 in Nkhotakota. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,349 in Ubud, Bali and $275 in Nkhotakota. That makes Nkhotakota about 80% cheaper.

Groceries cost about 75% more in Ubud, Bali, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Nkhotakota, where all-in costs run around $275, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,349. In Nkhotakota it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $275 in Nkhotakota to $1,349 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.