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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,334 in Salwa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,230 in Salwa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,126 in Salwa, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 5% more than Salwa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Salwa is 1% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$9.55 KWD 2.93

-62.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$65.9 KWD 20.25

-50.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$6.50 KWD 2.00

-25.23%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.47 KWD 0.76

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.67 KWD 1.13

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$5.97 KWD 1.83

-53.94%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.48 KWD 0.15

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.31 KWD 0.10

125.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.58 KWD 0.49

8.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.75 KWD 0.23

229.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.85 KWD 0.26

41.18%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.98 KWD 0.61

23.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$5.22 KWD 1.60

175.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$6.53 KWD 2.01

-34.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$10.19 KWD 3.13

19.82%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.37 KWD 0.73

55.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.89 KWD 0.58

-17.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.72 KWD 0.53

62.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$0.79 KWD 0.24

194.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$0.62 KWD 0.19

217.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.33 KWD 0.41

73.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.63 KWD 0.50

-34.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.48 KWD 0.15

52.08%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.22 KWD 0.99

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.06 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$2.86 KWD 0.88

14.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.84 KWD 0.26

-65.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$44.56 KWD 13.69

-81.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$3.29 KWD 1.01

-86.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$3.23 KWD 0.99

-86.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$16.58 KWD 5.09

-62.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.37 KWD 0.11

129.73%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$21.2K KWD 6,505

22.69%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$17.9K KWD 5,486

77.28%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$61.5 KWD 18.89

31.28%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$18.68 KWD 5.74

-78.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$26.15 KWD 8.03

-6.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$93.7 KWD 28.77

4.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$45.41 KWD 13.95

-85.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$11.32 KWD 3.48

-64.31%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$404 KWD 124

-24.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$6,673 KWD 2,050

-0.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$39.04 KWD 11.99

38.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$42.38 KWD 13.02

-8.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$82.8 KWD 25.44

4.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$64.5 KWD 19.83

18.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$797 KWD 245

23.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$621 KWD 191

5.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$1,580 KWD 485

113.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$1,313 KWD 403

57.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$3,495 KWD 1,074

-95.32%

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 9, 2026

Last update for Salwa: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $797 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 2038% 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 – $297 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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, $1,334 in Salwa – roughly 5% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,001 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 $1,334, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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 $1,334 in Salwa to $1,404 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.