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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $869 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,385 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,901 in Penang.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Penang is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$3.04 MYR 12.34

17.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$21.59 MYR 87.5

50.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.33 MYR 17.57

12.24%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.94 MYR 11.90

-6.46%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.68 MYR 2.78

94.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.36 MYR 1.48

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$4.40 MYR 17.85

-33.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$4.46 MYR 18.10

-15.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.81 MYR 7.32

-5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.99 MYR 4.00

149.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.03 MYR 8.21

-40.89%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.13 MYR 8.65

14.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$17.36 MYR 70.4

-17.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$5.21 MYR 21.12

-17.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$15.08 MYR 61.1

-19.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.87 MYR 11.66

28.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.47 MYR 5.96

5.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.57 MYR 10.43

8.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$2.11 MYR 8.57

10.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.18 MYR 4.79

66.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.16 MYR 4.71

99.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.95 MYR 3.87

11.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.49 MYR 1.97

48.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$4.36 MYR 17.68

-24.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$19.63 MYR 79.6

16.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.62 MYR 10.61

7.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$3.40 MYR 13.80

-18.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.45 MYR 1.82

-35.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$17.40 MYR 70.6

-53.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.69 MYR 2.80

-34.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.54 MYR 2.21

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$7.20 MYR 29.19

-13.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.47 MYR 1.89

80.85%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$32.9K MYR 133.5K

-21.09%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$27.3K MYR 110.6K

16.11%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$38.60 MYR 157

109.20%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$10.06 MYR 40.79

-59.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$31.44 MYR 127

-22.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$33.04 MYR 134

195.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$5.42 MYR 21.97

19.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$4.91 MYR 19.90

-17.72%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$238 MYR 963

27.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$6,198 MYR 25.1K

6.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$54.6 MYR 221

-0.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$28.39 MYR 115

36.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$60.5 MYR 245

42.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$53.5 MYR 217

43.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$387 MYR 1,569

154.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$230 MYR 933

185.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$640 MYR 2,597

426.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$525 MYR 2,131

293.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$2,250 MYR 9,123

21.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$1,186 MYR 4,807

87.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$951 MYR 3,858

-82.82%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Penang: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $387 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 482% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $22.00 in Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $287 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 62% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Penang earns 482% less. 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 $387 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $869 in Penang – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $869 in Penang versus $1,404 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 62% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.