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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,621 in Salmiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,442 in Salmiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,264 in Salmiya, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 14% cheaper than Salmiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ubud, Bali and Salmiya sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 2%, Salmiya by 18%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$9.51 KWD 2.93

-64.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$48.29 KWD 14.90

-20.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$8.34 KWD 2.57

-33.81%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.46 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 KWD 0.81

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$5.08 KWD 1.57

-48.03%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.45 KWD 0.14

271.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.34 KWD 0.10

126.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.64 KWD 0.51

-5.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$0.72 KWD 0.22

208.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$1.90 KWD 0.59

-40.53%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$2.06 KWD 0.64

1.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$4.29 KWD 1.32

305.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$6.84 KWD 2.11

-43.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$10.14 KWD 3.13

23.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$2.49 KWD 0.77

45.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.93 KWD 0.59

-19.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.83 KWD 0.56

28.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.56 KWD 0.48

32.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.31 KWD 0.41

45.04%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.49 KWD 0.46

57.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$2.29 KWD 0.71

-55.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$0.47 KWD 0.14

17.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.93 KWD 0.29

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$2.82 KWD 0.87

-20.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$1.15 KWD 0.35

-76.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$47.77 KWD 14.74

-81.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$3.27 KWD 1.01

-85.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$3.30 KWD 1.02

-86.36%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$10.49 KWD 3.24

-45.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$0.33 KWD 0.10

130.30%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$19.4K KWD 6,000

25.89%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$20.5K KWD 6,340

56.32%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$49.47 KWD 15.26

68.89%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$22.42 KWD 6.92

-71.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$29.69 KWD 9.16

-36.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$155 KWD 47.83

-63.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$16.08 KWD 4.96

15.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$11.52 KWD 3.55

-62.85%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$299 KWD 92.2

62.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$7,556 KWD 2,331

-22.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$38.25 KWD 11.80

19.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$39.73 KWD 12.26

-8.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$100 KWD 30.89

-18.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$88.4 KWD 27.28

-9.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$1,069 KWD 330

4.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$830 KWD 256

-15.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$2,474 KWD 763

42.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$1,330 KWD 410

32.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$2,114 KWD 652

-91.97%

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Salmiya: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,069 in Salmiya. 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 1145% higher in Salmiya, 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 $48.00 in Salmiya. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Ubud, Bali vs $178 in Salmiya – so Salmiya 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 Salmiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, $1,621 in Salmiya – roughly 16% apart. Salmiya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,431 in Salmiya. 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $48.00 in Salmiya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,396 in Ubud, Bali and $1,621 in Salmiya. 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 $1,396, than in Salmiya at $1,621. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Salmiya it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,396 in Ubud, Bali to $1,621 in Salmiya. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Salmiya makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.