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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $493 in Ruwi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $753 in Ruwi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,013 in Ruwi.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 188% more expensive than Ruwi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Ruwi is 63% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.97 OMR 0.76

-8.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$2.01 OMR 0.77

25.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.02 OMR 0.39

13.73%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.22 OMR 0.47

101.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$2.05 OMR 0.79

617.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$1.96 OMR 0.76

120.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$4.92 OMR 1.90

146.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$1.01 OMR 0.39

280.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$0.97 OMR 0.37

60.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$0.98 OMR 0.38

188.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.02 OMR 0.39

128.43%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.99 OMR 0.38

92.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.98 OMR 0.38

3.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.02 OMR 0.39

-23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$26.00 OMR 10.01

-84.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$77.2 OMR 29.71

-69.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$9.25 OMR 3.56

-55.14%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$13.2K OMR 5,080

-49.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$391 OMR 151

157.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$255 OMR 98.2

164.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$920 OMR 354

273.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$573 OMR 221

255.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$2,566 OMR 988

-93.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ruwi: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $391 in Ruwi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ruwi pays 1453% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 Ruwi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Ruwi differ by about 188% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $493 including rent). Ruwi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Ruwi earns 1453% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $391 in Ruwi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 154% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $493 in Ruwi – a 188% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $493 in Ruwi versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ruwi but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Ruwi 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 Ruwi 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 Ruwi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 188% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.