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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,021 in Phoenix.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,545 in Phoenix.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,069 in Phoenix.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 41% more expensive than Phoenix, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Phoenix is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$6.63 MUR 310

-46.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$44.74 MUR 2,094

-27.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$6.56 MUR 307

-22.71%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.67 MUR 125

5.99%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.02 MUR 47.66

31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.60 MUR 27.86

15.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.13 MUR 99.6

40.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.80 MUR 131

37.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.45 MUR 67.9

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.65 MUR 30.61

290.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.28 MUR 59.7

-7.03%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.31 MUR 108

5.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$10.01 MUR 468

46.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$6.21 MUR 290

-32.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$10.49 MUR 491

13.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.06 MUR 96.5

79.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.98 MUR 92.7

-18.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.43 MUR 66.9

88.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$2.64 MUR 123

-11.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.98 MUR 46.02

94.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.98 MUR 46.03

123.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.79 MUR 36.93

34.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.53 MUR 24.85

35.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$5.98 MUR 280

-47.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$8.68 MUR 406

170.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.71 MUR 79.9

60.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.09 MUR 98.0

37.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.99 MUR 46.43

-70.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$4.35 MUR 204

-89.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$2.74 MUR 128

-84.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$15.58 MUR 729

-60.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.52 MUR 71.2

-44.74%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$35.6K MUR 1.7M

-26.29%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$29.4K MUR 1.4M

10.64%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$49.77 MUR 2,329

57.56%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$18.07 MUR 846

-78.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$32.07 MUR 1,500

-23.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$38.91 MUR 1,820

148.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$5.96 MUR 279

-32.21%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$156 MUR 7,292

94.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$3,955 MUR 185.0K

64.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$49.82 MUR 2,331

8.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$43.42 MUR 2,032

-12.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$82.0 MUR 3,837

5.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$77.3 MUR 3,615

2.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$548 MUR 25.7K

84.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$384 MUR 17.9K

75.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$865 MUR 40.5K

291.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$597 MUR 27.9K

251.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$683 MUR 32.0K

-74.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.25

112.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Phoenix: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $548 in Phoenix. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phoenix pays 295% 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 $45.00 in Phoenix. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $214, with Phoenix cheaper for home cooking.

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 Phoenix: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Phoenix differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $1,021 including rent). Phoenix is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Phoenix earns 295% 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 $548 in Phoenix. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 39% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,021 in Phoenix – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,021 in Phoenix versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Phoenix but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Phoenix the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Phoenix 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 Phoenix gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.