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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $796 in Putrajaya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,205 in Putrajaya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,614 in Putrajaya.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 75% more expensive than in Putrajaya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Putrajaya is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.3K

$3.56 MYR 14.53

0.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 581.4K

$18.70 MYR 76.4

72.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.1K

$4.58 MYR 18.70

9.39%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

$2.86 MYR 11.69

-1.40%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.3K

$0.80 MYR 3.26

68.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.37 MYR 1.52

97.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 52.8K

$3.45 MYR 14.08

-15.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 70.8K

$4.39 MYR 17.94

-10.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

$1.67 MYR 6.82

6.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

$0.83 MYR 3.41

195.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.28 MYR 5.25

-10.16%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.4K

$1.88 MYR 7.68

28.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 257.8K

$6.57 MYR 26.81

118.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.3K

$4.31 MYR 17.60

-2.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 216.9K

$9.23 MYR 37.67

30.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.4K

$3.21 MYR 13.12

13.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

$1.38 MYR 5.64

13.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.1K

$3.11 MYR 12.69

-10.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.55 MYR 6.32

44.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.6K

$1.52 MYR 6.19

30.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.0K

$1.73 MYR 7.07

31.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.66 MYR 6.77

-36.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.52 MYR 2.12

51.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.4K

$4.27 MYR 17.43

-25.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 422.6K

$13.30 MYR 54.3

76.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.1K

$2.84 MYR 11.58

2.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.6K

$2.87 MYR 11.73

-3.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,796

$0.72 MYR 2.94

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 150.5K

$11.84 MYR 48.33

-29.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,138

$0.98 MYR 3.99

-54.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,269

$0.98 MYR 4.01

-53.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.2K

$6.02 MYR 24.57

0.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.46 MYR 1.89

86.96%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.3M

$35.7K MYR 145.7K

-25.50%

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

$32.5K Rp 585.6M

$37.9K MYR 154.8K

-14.17%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$45.30 MYR 185

74.44%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.6K

$9.28 MYR 37.88

-55.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 429.0K

$22.62 MYR 92.4

5.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$38.22 MYR 156

158.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.3K

$9.01 MYR 36.80

-29.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.1K

$5.09 MYR 20.78

-21.22%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$186 MYR 759

59.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 118.8M

$6,832 MYR 27.9K

-3.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 961.1K

$66.0 MYR 269

-19.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 685.7K

$19.02 MYR 77.6

100.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$73.8 MYR 301

20.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$39.92 MYR 163

91.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.3M

$342 MYR 1,396

198.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.2M

$235 MYR 959

189.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.4M

$620 MYR 2,533

459.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.6M

$380 MYR 1,552

449.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.1M

$2,685 MYR 11.0K

1.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.3M

$1,803 MYR 7,364

27.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 2.9M

$1,041 MYR 4,251

-84.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.07

226.29%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Putrajaya: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $342 in Putrajaya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Putrajaya pays 536% 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 $19.00 in Putrajaya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $219 per month, with Putrajaya 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 Putrajaya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Putrajaya wins on cost – living expenses run 75% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Putrajaya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 536% lower in Putrajaya. 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 $342 in Putrajaya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Putrajaya runs roughly 41% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $186 in Putrajaya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $796 in Putrajaya versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Putrajaya but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Putrajaya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Putrajaya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $796 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Putrajaya hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Putrajaya 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 Putrajaya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.