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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,734 in Riyadh.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,582 in Riyadh.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,429 in Riyadh.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 21% less than in Riyadh, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Riyadh 26% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Riyadh
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 Rp 58.7K
$7.79 SAR 29.23
-57.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.82 Rp 630.7K
$64.8 SAR 243
-44.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.63 Rp 99.1K
$8.87 SAR 33.29
-36.53%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.99 SAR 7.46
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.97 SAR 11.14
-
Cappuccino
$2.82 Rp 49.7K
$4.23 SAR 15.87
-33.33%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.75 Rp 30.8K
$0.85 SAR 3.19
105.88%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 Rp 14.0K
$0.32 SAR 1.22
150.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.04 Rp 53.6K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.30 Rp 75.7K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Riyadh
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.61 Rp 28.3K
$1.68 SAR 6.32
-4.17%
White Bread (500g)
$2.27 Rp 39.9K
$1.25 SAR 4.70
81.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.17 Rp 20.6K
$2.45 SAR 9.21
-52.24%
Eggs
$2.17 Rp 38.2K
$3.19 SAR 11.98
-31.97%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.63 Rp 310.5K
$9.69 SAR 36.37
81.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.05 Rp 71.4K
$9.95 SAR 37.34
-59.30%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.18 Rp 214.5K
$15.17 SAR 57.0
-19.71%
Apples (1kg)
$3.62 Rp 63.7K
$2.62 SAR 9.84
38.17%
Banana (1kg)
$1.64 Rp 28.8K
$1.95 SAR 7.30
-15.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 40.6K
$2.36 SAR 8.87
-2.12%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.96 Rp 34.5K
$1.73 SAR 6.50
13.29%
Potato (1kg)
$1.84 Rp 32.5K
$1.20 SAR 4.50
53.33%
Onion (1kg)
$2.37 Rp 41.7K
$1.43 SAR 5.37
65.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.05 Rp 18.5K
$1.71 SAR 6.43
-38.60%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 Rp 9,560
$0.59 SAR 2.21
-8.47%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$7.75 SAR 29.10
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$1.85 SAR 6.93
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.47 SAR 9.28
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.30 Rp 40.6K
$7.51 SAR 28.18
-69.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.08 Rp 406.4K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 Rp 41.2K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.07 Rp 54.0K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Riyadh
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,365
$1.09 SAR 4.08
-77.06%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$9.42 Rp 165.9K
$37.56 SAR 141
-74.92%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.49 Rp 8,631
$3.28 SAR 12.33
-85.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 Rp 8,349
$1.89 SAR 7.09
-75.13%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.60 Rp 98.6K
$13.13 SAR 49.30
-57.35%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.2K
$0.59 SAR 2.23
37.29%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$25.0K Rp 440.3M
$35.9K SAR 134.7K
-30.29%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.1K Rp 547.0M
$22.4K SAR 84.1K
38.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Riyadh
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.7 Rp 1.5M
$97.0 SAR 364
-14.71%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.49 Rp 114.2K
$32.37 SAR 122
-79.95%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.79 Rp 330.8K
$68.6 SAR 258
-72.62%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Riyadh
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.2 Rp 972.6K
$89.7 SAR 337
-38.38%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.21 Rp 320.6K
$54.9 SAR 206
-66.85%
Cinema Ticket
$4.30 Rp 75.7K
$13.29 SAR 49.87
-67.64%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Riyadh
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$494 Rp 8.7M
$533 SAR 1,999
-7.22%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,917 Rp 104.2M
$11.3K SAR 42.5K
-47.78%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Riyadh
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.28 Rp 814.8K
$58.9 SAR 221
-21.39%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.44 Rp 641.6K
$56.1 SAR 211
-35.01%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$80.7 Rp 1.4M
$106 SAR 398
-23.82%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.8 Rp 1.4M
$104 SAR 392
-24.54%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Riyadh
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,114 Rp 19.6M
$1,174 SAR 4,406
-5.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$693 Rp 12.2M
$830 SAR 3,116
-16.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,639 Rp 64.1M
$2,205 SAR 8,277
65.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,712 Rp 30.1M
$1,223 SAR 4,593
39.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,761 Rp 48.6M
$2,935 SAR 11.0K
-5.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,293 Rp 40.4M
$1,962 SAR 7,364
16.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Riyadh
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$167 Rp 2.9M
$2,052 SAR 7,702
-91.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
5.54
148.74%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Riyadh: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $1,174 in Riyadh. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Riyadh pays 1128% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $65.0 in Riyadh. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $240, with Riyadh 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 Riyadh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in Riyadh?
Ubud, Bali and Riyadh differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $1,734 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 1128% lower in Riyadh. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Riyadh?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,174 in Riyadh. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ubud, Bali or Riyadh?
All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,734 in Riyadh – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
How do commuting costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Riyadh?
A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 299% less than in Riyadh. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,734 in Riyadh, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Riyadh. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Riyadh?
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.
Is Ubud, Bali or Riyadh safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Riyadh are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or Riyadh?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Riyadh. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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