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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,027 in Selangor.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,483 in Selangor.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,938 in Selangor.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 33% more expensive than in Selangor, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Selangor is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$4.22 MYR 17.28

-18.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$19.63 MYR 80.4

84.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$4.00 MYR 16.39

42.75%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.19 MYR 8.98

21.92%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$0.87 MYR 3.56

101.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.46 MYR 1.89

89.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$4.50 MYR 18.44

-34.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$5.10 MYR 20.86

-11.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.91 MYR 7.83

-15.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.10 MYR 4.52

111.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.51 MYR 6.16

-26.49%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$1.91 MYR 7.80

15.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$15.50 MYR 63.4

14.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$4.82 MYR 19.75

-14.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

$9.82 MYR 40.21

24.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$3.35 MYR 13.71

10.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.84 MYR 7.53

-13.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$2.44 MYR 9.99

-6.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.58 MYR 6.48

23.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.36 MYR 5.58

40.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.09 MYR 4.45

113.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$1.14 MYR 4.66

-11.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$0.54 MYR 2.21

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$4.34 MYR 17.76

-48.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$19.04 MYR 77.9

21.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$3.38 MYR 13.83

-28.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$4.99 MYR 20.42

-39.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

$1.25 MYR 5.11

-78.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$12.26 MYR 50.2

-26.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$1.25 MYR 5.12

-61.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$1.26 MYR 5.16

-65.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$4.51 MYR 18.44

25.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.66 MYR 2.70

21.21%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$42.4K MYR 173.6K

-41.19%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$35.0K MYR 143.3K

-9.41%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$65.2 MYR 267

24.98%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$9.10 MYR 37.24

-28.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$25.81 MYR 106

-27.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$40.42 MYR 165

40.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

$7.22 MYR 29.57

159.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$5.30 MYR 21.69

-14.34%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$124 MYR 506

288.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

$7,373 MYR 30.2K

-22.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$73.2 MYR 299

-37.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$42.30 MYR 173

-15.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$77.8 MYR 318

3.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$81.6 MYR 334

-3.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$504 MYR 2,064

120.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$346 MYR 1,418

101.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$881 MYR 3,606

312.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$485 MYR 1,984

258.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$1,559 MYR 6,381

78.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$712 MYR 2,913

221.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,045 MYR 4,277

-83.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

3.96

247.98%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Selangor: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $504 in Selangor. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Selangor pays 522% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $20.00 in Selangor for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $272 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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $1,027 including rent). Selangor is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 522% 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $504 in Selangor. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% 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 $20.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,027 in Selangor versus $1,368 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 33% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.