Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Petaling Jaya Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Petaling Jaya

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $989 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,361 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,464 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,330 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,938 in Petaling Jaya, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 41% more than Petaling Jaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 3% above the global median, while Petaling Jaya is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.30 Rp 59.0K

$3.60 MYR 14.72

-8.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 691.1K

$24.49 MYR 100

57.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 Rp 99.0K

$4.85 MYR 19.81

14.02%

Cappuccino

$2.62 Rp 47.0K

$3.07 MYR 12.54

-14.66%

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

$1.59 Rp 28.5K

$0.93 MYR 3.82

70.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.42 MYR 1.70

80.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.62 Rp 46.9K

$3.23 MYR 13.20

-18.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 Rp 76.2K

$5.81 MYR 23.76

-26.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.87 MYR 7.64

-15.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.2K

$1.07 MYR 4.37

114.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$1.43 MYR 5.86

-27.27%

Eggs

$2.07 Rp 37.0K

$1.84 MYR 7.53

12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.61 Rp 315.4K

$9.71 MYR 39.71

81.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 Rp 71.1K

$3.15 MYR 12.89

26.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.99 Rp 214.7K

$9.72 MYR 39.74

23.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 63.2K

$2.80 MYR 11.46

26.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 Rp 28.6K

$1.90 MYR 7.77

-15.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$2.64 MYR 10.78

-11.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 Rp 34.8K

$1.82 MYR 7.44

6.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

$2.05 MYR 8.38

-12.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.4K

$2.03 MYR 8.28

11.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 Rp 17.6K

$1.43 MYR 5.84

-31.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,291

$0.56 MYR 2.30

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$4.51 MYR 18.45

-48.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.35 Rp 418.1K

$19.52 MYR 79.8

19.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$2.80 MYR 11.45

-19.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$4.15 MYR 16.95

-32.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,857

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-77.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.16 Rp 164.0K

$12.10 MYR 49.46

-24.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,956

$1.25 MYR 5.09

-64.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,787

$0.36 MYR 1.47

19.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.51 Rp 98.7K

$8.98 MYR 36.71

-38.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.77 MYR 3.13

2.60%

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

$23.9K Rp 427.2M

$42.1K MYR 172.0K

-43.31%

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

$30.6K Rp 548.8M

$32.7K MYR 133.5K

-6.18%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.5M

$39.20 MYR 160

107.83%

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

$6.31 Rp 113.0K

$8.37 MYR 34.20

-24.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.30 Rp 327.7K

$26.77 MYR 109

-31.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.0 Rp 966.6K

$48.62 MYR 199

11.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.89 Rp 320.4K

$3.06 MYR 12.50

484.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 75.9K

$4.85 MYR 19.83

-12.58%

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

$482 Rp 8.6M

$281 MYR 1,148

71.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,756 Rp 103.1M

$10.5K MYR 43.0K

-45.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.99 Rp 805.7K

$51.0 MYR 208

-11.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.88 Rp 624.5K

$30.18 MYR 123

15.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.2 Rp 1.4M

$77.0 MYR 315

1.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$86.6 MYR 354

-8.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 Rp 20.6M

$488 MYR 1,995

135.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 Rp 12.3M

$382 MYR 1,562

80.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,619 Rp 64.8M

$805 MYR 3,289

349.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 Rp 30.8M

$548 MYR 2,240

214.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,783 Rp 49.8M

$3,180 MYR 13.0K

-12.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,238 Rp 40.1M

$210 MYR 858

966.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$1,715 MYR 7,009

-90.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.51

205.54%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 2, 2026

Last update for Petaling Jaya: August 4, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,148 in Ubud, Bali versus $488 in Petaling Jaya. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 915% higher in Petaling Jaya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $24.00 in Petaling Jaya. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $290 vs $246 – making Petaling Jaya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Petaling Jaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 41% more than Petaling Jaya, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,484 in Petaling Jaya. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Petaling Jaya, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 32% less in Petaling Jaya. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $482 per month in Ubud, Bali and $281 in Petaling Jaya. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Petaling Jaya, where all-in costs run around $989, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In Petaling Jaya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Petaling Jaya costs $989 versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Petaling Jaya. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.