Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sabah Al Salem Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sabah Al Salem

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,432 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,446 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,460 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 4% cheaper than Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Ubud, Bali and Sabah Al Salem sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 0%, Sabah Al Salem by 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$8.32 KWD 2.55

-58.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$71.6 KWD 21.98

-49.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$9.25 KWD 2.84

-38.27%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 KWD 1.01

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 KWD 0.97

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$6.62 KWD 2.03

-59.67%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.48 KWD 0.15

264.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.48 KWD 0.15

81.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.98 KWD 0.61

-18.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.33 KWD 0.41

75.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$2.13 KWD 0.65

-47.89%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$3.02 KWD 0.93

-27.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$7.32 KWD 2.25

141.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$5.38 KWD 1.65

-23.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$10.15 KWD 3.12

20.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.51 KWD 0.77

47.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.86 KWD 0.57

-14.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.32 KWD 0.41

72.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.54 KWD 0.47

26.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.31 KWD 0.40

45.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.95 KWD 0.29

145.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.65 KWD 0.51

-38.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.48 KWD 0.15

14.58%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.01 KWD 0.93

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 KWD 0.29

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$2.79 KWD 0.86

-20.07%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.75 KWD 0.23

-64.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$115 KWD 35.24

-92.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$3.05 KWD 0.94

-84.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$3.50 KWD 1.07

-87.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$14.39 KWD 4.42

-60.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.33 KWD 0.10

142.42%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$21.8K KWD 6,696

14.37%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$21.9K KWD 6,719

44.89%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$39.29 KWD 12.06

107.33%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$24.66 KWD 7.57

-73.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$38.81 KWD 11.92

-51.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$128 KWD 39.36

-55.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$39.17 KWD 12.02

-52.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$11.39 KWD 3.50

-60.14%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$277 KWD 85.1

73.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$7,546 KWD 2,317

-24.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$37.94 KWD 11.65

19.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$40.10 KWD 12.31

-10.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$96.3 KWD 29.56

-16.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$90.3 KWD 27.71

-12.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$725 KWD 223

53.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$555 KWD 170

25.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,811 KWD 556

100.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$1,352 KWD 415

28.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$3,022 KWD 928

-94.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.53

111.03%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $725 in Sabah Al Salem. 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 1699% higher in Sabah Al Salem, 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $72.0 in Sabah Al Salem. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Ubud, Bali vs $188 in Sabah Al Salem – so Sabah Al Salem 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 Sabah Al Salem: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Sabah Al Salem is pricier by about 5%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,148 in Sabah Al Salem. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $72.0 in Sabah Al Salem. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $1,432 in Sabah Al Salem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,368, than in Sabah Al Salem at $1,432. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Sabah Al Salem 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, Sabah Al Salem makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.