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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $846 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,313 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,779 in Penang.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 63% more expensive than in Penang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Penang is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.73 MYR 15.18

-10.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$20.03 MYR 81.5

78.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$4.83 MYR 19.66

16.56%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.94 MYR 11.95

-4.08%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.71 MYR 2.90

146.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.39 MYR 1.60

105.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$4.22 MYR 17.17

-27.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.50 MYR 18.32

-4.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.79 MYR 7.26

-10.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.09 MYR 4.45

108.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.73 MYR 7.05

-32.37%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.23 MYR 9.05

-2.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$13.37 MYR 54.4

31.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.37 MYR 17.78

-7.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$9.00 MYR 36.60

35.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.87 MYR 11.67

26.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.70 MYR 6.90

-3.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.61 MYR 10.64

-11.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.46 MYR 5.94

34.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.13 MYR 4.58

62.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.17 MYR 4.77

102.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.11 MYR 4.51

-5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.58 MYR 2.35

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.54 MYR 18.45

-49.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$19.54 MYR 79.5

18.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$2.91 MYR 11.85

-19.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$3.98 MYR 16.20

-22.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.48 MYR 1.94

-47.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$12.28 MYR 49.95

-23.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.70 MYR 6.92

-71.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.42 MYR 1.70

11.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$7.61 MYR 30.97

-26.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.84 MYR 3.40

-3.57%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$41.6K MYR 169.2K

-39.88%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$34.7K MYR 141.4K

-10.60%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$37.45 MYR 152

120.88%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$9.83 MYR 40.01

-33.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$29.72 MYR 121

-36.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$38.51 MYR 157

43.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$4.81 MYR 19.57

278.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.31 MYR 21.59

-19.02%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$435 MYR 1,769

13.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$10.7K MYR 43.4K

-44.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$60.3 MYR 245

-23.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$34.72 MYR 141

4.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$85.3 MYR 347

-5.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$70.8 MYR 288

11.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$399 MYR 1,623

179.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$228 MYR 928

203.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$591 MYR 2,406

515.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$417 MYR 1,694

311.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,235 MYR 9,094

23.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,068 MYR 4,346

114.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$923 MYR 3,754

-81.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.24

225.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Penang: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $399 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 452% 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 Penang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $255 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 452% 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $399 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 $20.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $846 in Penang – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $846 in Penang versus $1,378 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 63% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.