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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,346 in Salwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,259 in Salwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,173 in Salwa, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 7% more than Salwa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ubud, Bali and Salwa sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 7%, Salwa by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$9.64 KWD 2.96

-62.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$65.9 KWD 20.24

-50.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$6.70 KWD 2.06

-24.33%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.75 KWD 1.15

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$5.90 KWD 1.81

-52.03%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.51 KWD 0.16

162.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.34 KWD 0.11

102.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.57 KWD 0.48

10.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$0.74 KWD 0.23

243.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.86 KWD 0.26

38.37%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.06 KWD 0.63

17.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$5.14 KWD 1.58

185.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$6.68 KWD 2.05

-37.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$10.16 KWD 3.12

17.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.37 KWD 0.73

55.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.87 KWD 0.58

-13.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.74 KWD 0.53

54.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$0.79 KWD 0.24

194.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.67 KWD 0.21

185.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.27 KWD 0.39

72.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-34.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.46 KWD 0.14

56.52%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.23 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.82 KWD 0.87

10.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.83 KWD 0.25

-65.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$44.06 KWD 13.53

-81.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$3.19 KWD 0.98

-85.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$3.17 KWD 0.97

-86.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$16.21 KWD 4.98

-62.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.36 KWD 0.11

133.33%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$21.2K KWD 6,522

23.54%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$18.2K KWD 5,581

78.67%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$63.7 KWD 19.54

23.21%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$18.54 KWD 5.69

-78.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$25.57 KWD 7.85

-4.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$92.9 KWD 28.51

3.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$46.94 KWD 14.41

-86.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$11.66 KWD 3.58

-65.35%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$399 KWD 123

-24.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$6,542 KWD 2,008

-0.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$38.45 KWD 11.80

40.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$43.14 KWD 13.24

-11.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$81.4 KWD 24.99

6.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$65.2 KWD 20.00

21.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$781 KWD 240

29.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$606 KWD 186

11.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$1,555 KWD 477

118.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$1,265 KWD 388

65.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$3,537 KWD 1,086

-95.10%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Salwa: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $781 in Salwa. 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 1943% higher in Salwa, 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $66.0 in Salwa. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $165 in Salwa – so Salwa 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 Salwa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, $1,346 in Salwa – roughly 7% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,018 in Salwa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Salwa, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 81% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $66.0 in Salwa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Salwa, where all-in costs run around $1,346, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Salwa it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali 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 $1,346 in Salwa to $1,438 in Ubud, Bali. 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 Salwa. 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.