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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,426 in Salmiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,291 in Salmiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,156 in Salmiya, rent included.

Ubud, Bali and Salmiya have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Ubud, Bali and Salmiya sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 6%, Salmiya by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$8.72 KWD 2.68

-59.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$49.94 KWD 15.32

-34.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$7.62 KWD 2.34

-35.04%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.68 KWD 0.51

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 KWD 0.49

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$4.92 KWD 1.51

-44.92%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.45 KWD 0.14

197.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.34 KWD 0.11

105.88%

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

$1.56 KWD 0.48

16.03%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.88 KWD 0.27

186.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.72 KWD 0.53

-32.56%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.89 KWD 0.58

30.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$5.19 KWD 1.59

183.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$6.35 KWD 1.95

-31.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$9.02 KWD 2.77

34.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.26 KWD 0.69

69.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.68 KWD 0.52

-7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.80 KWD 0.55

57.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.46 KWD 0.45

59.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.24 KWD 0.38

54.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.32 KWD 0.40

66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.69 KWD 0.52

-40.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.46 KWD 0.14

69.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.42

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$3.00 KWD 0.92

10.67%

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

$1.04 KWD 0.32

-74.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$49.89 KWD 15.30

-83.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$3.24 KWD 0.99

-85.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$3.23 KWD 0.99

-86.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$12.97 KWD 3.98

-52.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.33 KWD 0.10

139.39%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$19.3K KWD 5,921

35.46%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$19.8K KWD 6,078

62.09%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$54.8 KWD 16.81

45.85%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$18.77 KWD 5.76

-78.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$25.43 KWD 7.80

-7.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$108 KWD 33.07

-8.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$33.02 KWD 10.13

-79.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$11.50 KWD 3.53

-63.91%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$397 KWD 122

-23.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$5,493 KWD 1,685

20.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$42.72 KWD 13.10

30.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$42.28 KWD 12.97

-9.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$87.0 KWD 26.67

1.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$82.8 KWD 25.38

-5.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$879 KWD 270

14.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$670 KWD 205

0.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$2,716 KWD 833

26.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$1,340 KWD 411

52.25%

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

$1,428 KWD 438

-88.43%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Salmiya: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $879 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 764% higher in Salmiya. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $50.0 in Salmiya. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $168 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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,139 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $50.0 in Salmiya. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 521% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,419, than in Salmiya at $1,426. 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 $1,419 in Ubud, Bali to $1,426 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.