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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $867 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,368 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,870 in Penang.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 61% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Penang is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

$3.08 MYR 12.58

15.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

$21.63 MYR 88.4

49.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

$4.15 MYR 16.96

20.72%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

$2.97 MYR 12.13

-5.05%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.74 MYR 3.02

82.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.33 MYR 1.37

121.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$4.29 MYR 17.52

-31.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

$4.45 MYR 18.20

-11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$1.88 MYR 7.69

-5.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

$1.03 MYR 4.22

137.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

$2.06 MYR 8.41

-44.17%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

$2.12 MYR 8.67

13.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

$17.00 MYR 69.5

-15.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

$5.19 MYR 21.20

-19.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

$14.91 MYR 61.0

-19.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

$2.91 MYR 11.89

25.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.45 MYR 5.92

8.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

$2.66 MYR 10.89

4.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.10 MYR 8.60

6.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

$1.13 MYR 4.62

75.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

$1.20 MYR 4.91

90.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

$0.89 MYR 3.62

17.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.48 MYR 1.96

64.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

$4.19 MYR 17.13

-23.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

$19.28 MYR 78.8

21.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

$2.65 MYR 10.84

9.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

$3.40 MYR 13.89

-18.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

$0.45 MYR 1.83

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

$17.76 MYR 72.6

-52.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,180

$0.74 MYR 3.04

-39.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,311

$0.51 MYR 2.07

-9.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

$6.90 MYR 28.21

-12.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.50 MYR 2.03

72.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

$34.1K MYR 139.3K

-21.98%

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

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

$27.3K MYR 111.8K

19.03%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$39.05 MYR 160

102.36%

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

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

$10.17 MYR 41.58

-59.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

$31.51 MYR 129

-24.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$32.40 MYR 132

204.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

$5.53 MYR 22.61

14.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

$4.81 MYR 19.64

-16.63%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$240 MYR 979

24.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

$6,182 MYR 25.3K

6.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

$55.3 MYR 226

-3.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

$29.23 MYR 119

30.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$61.1 MYR 250

45.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$52.7 MYR 215

45.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$382 MYR 1,559

167.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$225 MYR 921

201.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

$636 MYR 2,598

445.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

$522 MYR 2,133

300.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$2,203 MYR 9,004

23.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

$1,160 MYR 4,740

97.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$942 MYR 3,849

-82.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.16

219.23%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Penang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $382 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 475% 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 $22.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $286 per month, with Penang 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 Penang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Penang is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 475% lower in Penang. 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $382 in Penang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Penang – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $867 in Penang – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $867 in Penang versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Penang but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Penang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Penang is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Penang 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 Penang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.