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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,416 in Salmiya, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,275 in Salmiya, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,134 in Salmiya, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 1% cheaper than Salmiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ubud, Bali and Salmiya sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 5%, Salmiya by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$9.22 KWD 2.86

-62.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$49.01 KWD 15.19

-34.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$8.04 KWD 2.49

-39.80%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 KWD 0.52

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 KWD 0.52

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$5.09 KWD 1.58

-45.97%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.42 KWD 0.13

228.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.35 KWD 0.11

114.29%

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

$1.55 KWD 0.48

12.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.90 KWD 0.28

173.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.72 KWD 0.53

-31.98%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.88 KWD 0.58

29.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$5.16 KWD 1.60

181.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$6.65 KWD 2.06

-34.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$8.76 KWD 2.72

36.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.33 KWD 0.72

59.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.66 KWD 0.52

-1.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.73 KWD 0.54

58.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.51 KWD 0.47

48.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.24 KWD 0.38

54.84%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.31 KWD 0.41

74.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-34.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.45 KWD 0.14

60.00%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.01 KWD 0.93

9.30%

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

$1.09 KWD 0.34

-75.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$48.09 KWD 14.90

-83.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$3.31 KWD 1.03

-85.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$3.16 KWD 0.98

-86.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$13.27 KWD 4.11

-53.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.37 KWD 0.11

118.92%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$20.0K KWD 6,191

33.20%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$19.7K KWD 6,100

63.53%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$56.3 KWD 17.43

39.29%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$18.42 KWD 5.71

-77.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$25.41 KWD 7.87

-4.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$108 KWD 33.39

-8.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$32.54 KWD 10.08

-80.52%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$11.21 KWD 3.48

-64.41%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$402 KWD 125

-24.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$5,536 KWD 1,716

19.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$42.38 KWD 13.13

27.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$42.94 KWD 13.31

-11.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$86.8 KWD 26.88

0.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$82.5 KWD 25.56

-7.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$868 KWD 269

14.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$666 KWD 207

0.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$2,643 KWD 819

27.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$1,321 KWD 409

55.16%

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

$1,931 KWD 598

-91.35%

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 Salmiya: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $868 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 1057% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $49.00 in Salmiya. Groceries tell a different story – $297 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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $1,416 in Salmiya – roughly 1% apart. Salmiya costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,124 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $49.00 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $1,416 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 $1,408, than in Salmiya at $1,416. 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali to $1,416 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.