Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Ras al-Khaimah Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Ras al-Khaimah

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,943 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,976 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,008 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 28% cheaper than Ras al-Khaimah, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Ras al-Khaimah sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 5%, Ras al-Khaimah by 45%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$13.47 AED 49.46

-74.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$49.37 AED 181

-34.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$6.96 AED 25.56

-30.46%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$5.55 AED 20.37

-50.45%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$1.32 AED 4.83

4.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.72 AED 2.63

4.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$10.87 AED 39.92

-72.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$10.05 AED 36.91

-61.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.57 AED 5.75

10.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.45 AED 5.32

69.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.70 AED 6.24

-31.18%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$2.21 AED 8.11

9.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$12.84 AED 47.15

12.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$7.59 AED 27.87

-42.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$15.28 AED 56.1

-21.60%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$2.19 AED 8.03

69.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.76 AED 6.47

-7.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.51 AED 5.54

81.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.31 AED 4.80

70.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$0.97 AED 3.55

97.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.03 AED 3.80

121.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.80 AED 6.60

-41.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.51 AED 1.86

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$6.29 AED 23.10

-47.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$13.51 AED 49.60

71.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$2.63 AED 9.67

5.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$2.96 AED 10.87

-7.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$2.36 AED 8.68

-88.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$64.3 AED 236

-87.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$1.54 AED 5.65

-68.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$0.93 AED 3.41

-54.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$8.41 AED 30.90

-26.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.80 AED 2.93

1.25%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$46.3K AED 169.9K

-42.47%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$22.4K AED 82.3K

43.60%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$149 AED 549

-47.56%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$45.04 AED 165

-90.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$101 AED 371

-75.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$56.3 AED 207

75.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$41.13 AED 151

-84.59%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$13.44 AED 49.35

-70.31%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$248 AED 912

22.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$5,208 AED 19.1K

27.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$117 AED 430

-53.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$53.7 AED 197

-29.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$137 AED 502

-36.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$136 AED 498

-43.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$718 AED 2,637

38.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$783 AED 2,874

-14.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$1,994 AED 7,322

69.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$1,512 AED 5,554

35.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$4,828 AED 17.7K

-41.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$1,965 AED 7,217

13.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,571 AED 5,770

-89.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.88

172.13%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $718 in Ras al-Khaimah. 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 841% higher in Ras al-Khaimah, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $267 in Ras al-Khaimah – so Ras al-Khaimah wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Ras al-Khaimah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ras al-Khaimah is pricier by about 38%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,914 in Ras al-Khaimah. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Ras al-Khaimah – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $49.00 in Ras al-Khaimah. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,408, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,943. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ras al-Khaimah it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ras al-Khaimah makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.