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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,358 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,245 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,132 in Sabah Al Salem, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 4% more than Sabah Al Salem, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ubud, Bali and Sabah Al Salem sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 5%, Sabah Al Salem by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$7.70 KWD 2.39

-55.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$58.1 KWD 17.99

-44.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$8.41 KWD 2.61

-42.45%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.48 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 KWD 1.06

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$5.28 KWD 1.63

-47.92%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.60 KWD 0.19

130.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.36 KWD 0.11

108.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.49 KWD 0.46

16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.06 KWD 0.33

132.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.72 KWD 0.53

-31.98%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.05 KWD 0.64

18.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$4.37 KWD 1.35

231.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$6.41 KWD 1.99

-32.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$9.76 KWD 3.03

22.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.32 KWD 0.72

60.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.60 KWD 0.50

1.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.52 KWD 0.47

80.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.35 KWD 0.42

65.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.22 KWD 0.38

57.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.15 KWD 0.36

98.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-34.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.42 KWD 0.13

71.43%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$2.85 KWD 0.88

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.00 KWD 0.93

9.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.88 KWD 0.27

-69.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$43.89 KWD 13.60

-81.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$3.25 KWD 1.01

-85.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$3.33 KWD 1.03

-87.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$16.23 KWD 5.03

-61.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.36 KWD 0.11

125.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$20.7K KWD 6,425

28.35%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$19.3K KWD 5,995

66.39%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$62.2 KWD 19.26

26.07%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$18.37 KWD 5.69

-77.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$25.42 KWD 7.88

-4.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$92.2 KWD 28.58

6.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$46.49 KWD 14.41

-86.36%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$11.23 KWD 3.48

-64.47%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$282 KWD 87.5

8.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$6,129 KWD 1,899

8.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$41.43 KWD 12.84

30.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$41.70 KWD 12.92

-9.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$87.1 KWD 27.00

-0.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$80.5 KWD 24.95

-5.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$808 KWD 251

22.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$619 KWD 192

8.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,591 KWD 493

112.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$1,289 KWD 399

59.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$2,998 KWD 929

-94.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

7.14

85.99%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Sabah Al Salem: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $808 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 1696% higher in Sabah Al Salem, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $58.0 in Sabah Al Salem. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $167 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 – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 4%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. 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 $2,037 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 Sabah Al Salem, 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $58.0 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $1,358 in Sabah Al Salem. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sabah Al Salem, where all-in costs run around $1,358, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Sabah Al Salem it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sabah Al Salem – 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 Sabah Al Salem. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.