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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,010 in Phoenix.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,548 in Phoenix.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,086 in Phoenix.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 38% more expensive than in Phoenix, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Phoenix is 24% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$6.55 MUR 307

-45.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$43.63 MUR 2,043

-25.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$6.74 MUR 316

-25.67%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.55 MUR 119

10.59%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.01 MUR 47.22

33.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.59 MUR 27.82

23.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.17 MUR 102

35.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.80 MUR 131

40.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.50 MUR 70.1

18.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.71 MUR 33.16

245.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.32 MUR 61.7

-12.88%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.24 MUR 105

7.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$9.91 MUR 464

44.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$6.16 MUR 288

-31.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$10.43 MUR 489

15.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$1.98 MUR 92.8

83.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.90 MUR 88.8

-17.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.46 MUR 68.3

91.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.64 MUR 124

-15.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.98 MUR 45.73

102.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.02 MUR 47.69

123.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.84 MUR 39.11

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.53 MUR 24.63

49.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$6.00 MUR 281

-46.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$8.42 MUR 394

178.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.72 MUR 80.6

68.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.13 MUR 99.8

29.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$1.00 MUR 46.68

-73.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$4.29 MUR 201

-89.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$2.65 MUR 124

-82.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$15.35 MUR 719

-60.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.58 MUR 73.8

-45.57%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$35.7K MUR 1.7M

-25.58%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$28.4K MUR 1.3M

14.74%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$49.40 MUR 2,314

59.96%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$18.62 MUR 872

-78.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$31.88 MUR 1,493

-25.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$38.26 MUR 1,792

158.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$6.02 MUR 282

-33.39%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$154 MUR 7,216

92.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$3,963 MUR 185.6K

66.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$50.0 MUR 2,343

6.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$43.38 MUR 2,032

-12.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$81.7 MUR 3,825

8.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$78.1 MUR 3,660

-1.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$561 MUR 26.3K

81.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$386 MUR 18.1K

76.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$869 MUR 40.7K

299.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$605 MUR 28.3K

245.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$932 MUR 43.7K

-82.44%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Phoenix: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $561 in Phoenix. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Phoenix pays 469% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $44.00 in Phoenix. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $213, 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 38% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $1,010 including rent). Phoenix is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 469% lower in Phoenix. 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $561 in Phoenix. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,010 in Phoenix – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,010 in Phoenix versus $1,392 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 38% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.