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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,008 in Selangor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,449 in Selangor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,890 in Selangor.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 41% more expensive than Selangor, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Selangor is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$2.56 MYR 10.16

39.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$23.14 MYR 91.7

41.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$3.74 MYR 14.84

32.35%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.23 MYR 8.83

21.52%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.77 MYR 3.06

74.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.33 MYR 1.32

112.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$4.19 MYR 16.62

-30.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$5.33 MYR 21.15

-25.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.83 MYR 7.26

-1.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.01 MYR 4.00

149.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.45 MYR 5.74

-20.00%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.83 MYR 7.24

34.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$14.43 MYR 57.2

1.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$4.66 MYR 18.46

-7.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$9.83 MYR 38.98

23.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.87 MYR 11.37

33.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.64 MYR 6.52

-4.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$2.69 MYR 10.65

5.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.51 MYR 5.98

54.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.27 MYR 5.03

50.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.99 MYR 3.93

122.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.08 MYR 4.28

-6.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.54 MYR 2.15

44.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$4.32 MYR 17.12

-23.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$19.54 MYR 77.5

21.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$3.37 MYR 13.35

-17.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$4.26 MYR 16.88

-32.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.74 MYR 2.94

-63.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$11.61 MYR 46.04

-30.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$1.21 MYR 4.79

-61.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.10 MYR 4.38

-59.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$4.38 MYR 17.39

39.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.46 MYR 1.84

71.74%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$39.3K MYR 155.8K

-33.46%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$31.9K MYR 126.5K

0.68%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$65.4 MYR 259

22.20%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$9.48 MYR 37.59

-57.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$25.69 MYR 102

-8.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$38.55 MYR 153

156.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$7.29 MYR 28.90

-9.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$5.20 MYR 20.62

-20.19%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$117 MYR 462

160.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$4,384 MYR 17.4K

50.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$59.8 MYR 237

-7.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$36.96 MYR 147

3.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$75.1 MYR 298

18.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$78.9 MYR 313

-1.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$441 MYR 1,749

128.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$348 MYR 1,379

94.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$849 MYR 3,365

305.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$472 MYR 1,871

332.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$1,659 MYR 6,577

71.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$726 MYR 2,878

211.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,004 MYR 3,980

-83.54%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.96

235.35%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Selangor: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $441 in Selangor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 508% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $23.00 in Selangor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $261 per month, with Selangor cheaper across the board.

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 Selangor: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Selangor differ by about 41% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $1,008 including rent). Selangor is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Selangor earns 508% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $441 in Selangor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Selangor – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,008 in Selangor versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Selangor but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Selangor the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Selangor are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Selangor gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.