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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $862 in Penang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,379 in Penang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,895 in Penang.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 67% more expensive than Penang, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Penang is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$3.10 MYR 12.24

15.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$21.13 MYR 83.5

54.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$4.12 MYR 16.27

23.06%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.88 MYR 11.36

-1.74%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.70 MYR 2.75

91.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.33 MYR 1.32

109.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$4.30 MYR 16.98

-30.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$4.43 MYR 17.51

-13.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.89 MYR 7.48

-7.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.03 MYR 4.05

146.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.99 MYR 7.86

-40.20%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.04 MYR 8.07

19.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$17.30 MYR 68.4

-15.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.95 MYR 19.54

-15.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$15.01 MYR 59.3

-20.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.88 MYR 11.38

28.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.51 MYR 5.96

6.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.63 MYR 10.38

2.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$2.09 MYR 8.24

11.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.18 MYR 4.64

61.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.17 MYR 4.63

87.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.91 MYR 3.59

16.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.48 MYR 1.91

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$4.29 MYR 16.94

-27.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$19.41 MYR 76.7

21.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.74 MYR 10.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$3.39 MYR 13.39

-15.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.46 MYR 1.80

-36.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$17.53 MYR 69.3

-53.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.74 MYR 2.94

-39.19%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.53 MYR 2.10

-20.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$6.95 MYR 27.46

-11.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.46 MYR 1.82

82.61%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$33.5K MYR 132.3K

-21.65%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$27.9K MYR 110.3K

16.28%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$39.31 MYR 155

99.49%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$10.23 MYR 40.40

-61.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$31.17 MYR 123

-21.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$33.28 MYR 131

190.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$5.39 MYR 21.30

17.81%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$4.81 MYR 19.01

-16.01%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$240 MYR 947

26.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$6,163 MYR 24.3K

5.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$54.4 MYR 215

-1.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$29.08 MYR 115

30.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$60.4 MYR 239

43.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$52.6 MYR 208

49.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$381 MYR 1,503

166.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$227 MYR 895

197.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$639 MYR 2,524

430.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$526 MYR 2,077

298.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$2,317 MYR 9,153

28.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$1,197 MYR 4,729

95.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$968 MYR 3,824

-82.12%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Penang: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $381 in Penang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Penang pays 459% 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 $21.00 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 67% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Penang earns 459% 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $381 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 $21.00 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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $862 in Penang – a 67% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $862 in Penang versus $1,438 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 67% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.