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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $999 in Selangor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,432 in Selangor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,865 in Selangor.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Selangor is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$2.55 MYR 10.42

35.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$23.88 MYR 97.7

35.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$3.73 MYR 15.26

29.76%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.30 MYR 9.40

19.57%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.77 MYR 3.17

79.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.36 MYR 1.48

108.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$4.22 MYR 17.27

-29.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$5.38 MYR 22.00

-28.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.81 MYR 7.39

-3.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.01 MYR 4.15

143.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.50 MYR 6.12

-22.00%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.88 MYR 7.70

29.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$14.38 MYR 58.8

0.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.68 MYR 19.14

-7.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$9.88 MYR 40.41

21.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$3.00 MYR 12.27

24.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.56 MYR 6.40

4.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$2.73 MYR 11.18

0.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.45 MYR 5.94

54.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.28 MYR 5.22

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.01 MYR 4.11

125.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.13 MYR 4.63

-6.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.51 MYR 2.10

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$4.33 MYR 17.71

-24.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$19.24 MYR 78.7

20.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$3.35 MYR 13.68

-17.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$4.26 MYR 17.41

-35.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.68 MYR 2.80

-60.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$11.85 MYR 48.46

-31.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.16 MYR 4.75

-58.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$1.10 MYR 4.51

-61.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$4.35 MYR 17.77

42.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.50 MYR 2.05

62.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$40.5K MYR 165.5K

-34.22%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$30.8K MYR 125.9K

4.57%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$64.9 MYR 265

20.76%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$9.99 MYR 40.88

-59.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$25.88 MYR 106

-5.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$38.38 MYR 157

156.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$7.27 MYR 29.74

-12.79%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$5.17 MYR 21.13

-22.82%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$116 MYR 476

162.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$4,342 MYR 17.8K

52.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$60.9 MYR 249

-11.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$36.78 MYR 150

2.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$74.9 MYR 306

15.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$78.8 MYR 322

-3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$449 MYR 1,838

120.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$351 MYR 1,437

91.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$834 MYR 3,413

304.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$472 MYR 1,930

334.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$1,583 MYR 6,473

77.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$707 MYR 2,891

215.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,047 MYR 4,284

-84.06%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Selangor: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $449 in Selangor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 527% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $24.00 in Selangor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 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 ($1,408 vs $999 including rent). Selangor is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 527% lower in Selangor. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $449 in Selangor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% 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 $24.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $999 in Selangor versus $1,408 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.