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 $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,745 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,761 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,777 in Ras al-Khaimah, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 20% 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 2%, Ras al-Khaimah by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$12.04 AED 44.22

-72.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$45.52 AED 167

-15.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$7.48 AED 27.45

-26.20%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$5.51 AED 20.24

-52.09%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$1.11 AED 4.07

50.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.44 AED 1.60

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$10.06 AED 36.94

-73.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$9.78 AED 35.93

-56.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.71 AED 6.29

-9.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$2.06 AED 7.56

7.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$1.88 AED 6.91

-39.89%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$2.42 AED 8.88

-13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$12.50 AED 45.90

39.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$9.68 AED 35.56

-60.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$15.75 AED 57.9

-20.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$1.99 AED 7.30

81.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$1.59 AED 5.85

-1.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$1.50 AED 5.51

56.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$1.34 AED 4.93

53.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$0.97 AED 3.56

95.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$0.92 AED 3.38

154.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.75 AED 6.44

-41.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$0.48 AED 1.75

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$6.77 AED 24.87

-66.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$13.66 AED 50.2

74.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$2.52 AED 9.25

-8.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$2.86 AED 10.49

-2.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$2.13 AED 7.82

-87.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

$112 AED 411

-92.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$1.72 AED 6.30

-72.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

$0.79 AED 2.89

-43.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$7.96 AED 29.23

-28.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$0.89 AED 3.26

-14.61%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

$46.3K AED 169.9K

-47.08%

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$21.8K AED 80.2K

47.13%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$124 AED 456

-32.76%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$45.14 AED 166

-85.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$79.6 AED 292

-76.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$57.5 AED 211

-2.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

$40.71 AED 150

-54.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$13.07 AED 48.00

-67.25%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$296 AED 1,086

64.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

$4,411 AED 16.2K

32.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$82.5 AED 303

-44.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$52.4 AED 192

-30.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$127 AED 466

-35.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$115 AED 422

-30.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$754 AED 2,768

48.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$581 AED 2,135

20.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$1,642 AED 6,029

115.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$1,268 AED 4,655

39.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

$4,911 AED 18.0K

-42.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

$1,949 AED 7,157

17.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$1,584 AED 5,818

-89.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.92

180.08%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ras al-Khaimah: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $754 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 833% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $46.00 in Ras al-Khaimah. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Ubud, Bali vs $283 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 25%, 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 $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,617 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 3% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $46.00 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 $1,396, than in Ras al-Khaimah at $1,745. 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.