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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,030 in Serdang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,478 in Serdang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,925 in Serdang, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 34% more than Serdang, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Serdang is 25% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$2.50 MYR 10.13

33.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 631.0K

$17.67 MYR 71.7

102.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.2K

$3.78 MYR 15.33

48.94%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.02 MYR 8.21

39.60%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.86 MYR 3.49

103.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.50 MYR 2.04

60.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$4.39 MYR 17.82

-30.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$6.24 MYR 25.30

-31.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$2.16 MYR 8.77

-25.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 40.0K

$1.13 MYR 4.58

100.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$2.07 MYR 8.41

-43.48%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.48 MYR 10.08

-12.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.6K

$15.98 MYR 64.9

10.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.82 MYR 19.55

-15.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.6K

$9.94 MYR 40.32

22.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.39 MYR 13.76

6.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.88 MYR 7.62

-12.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.33 MYR 9.45

-0.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.59 MYR 6.46

23.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.36 MYR 5.52

35.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.8K

$1.43 MYR 5.81

65.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.18 MYR 4.78

-11.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,564

$0.76 MYR 3.08

-28.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.59 MYR 18.63

-49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.5K

$19.22 MYR 78.0

20.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$3.53 MYR 14.32

-33.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$4.91 MYR 19.91

-37.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,366

$0.71 MYR 2.88

-64.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$12.50 MYR 50.7

-24.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,635

$1.22 MYR 4.96

-59.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,352

$0.49 MYR 2.00

-4.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.7K

$4.85 MYR 19.69

15.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.83 MYR 3.35

-2.41%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.5M

$42.3K MYR 171.5K

-40.82%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.2M

$34.5K MYR 139.8K

-9.86%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$64.3 MYR 261

28.65%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.3K

$9.06 MYR 36.77

-28.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 331.0K

$26.58 MYR 108

-29.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 973.0K

$40.50 MYR 164

36.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.8K

$6.49 MYR 26.34

180.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.58 MYR 22.65

-22.94%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$298 MYR 1,207

66.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$4,928 MYR 20.0K

20.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 815.2K

$71.6 MYR 291

-35.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.9K

$43.01 MYR 175

-15.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$90.1 MYR 366

-10.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$101 MYR 408

-21.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$428 MYR 1,735

160.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$331 MYR 1,344

109.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$696 MYR 2,824

422.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.2M

$496 MYR 2,010

245.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,040 MYR 8,278

35.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,113 MYR 4,515

106.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$1,011 MYR 4,100

-83.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.2

228.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Serdang: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $428 in Serdang. 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 505% higher in Serdang, 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $18.00 in Serdang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $285 – making Serdang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Serdang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, $1,030 in Serdang – roughly 34% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,545 in Serdang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 3% 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $18.00 in Serdang. 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 Serdang, where all-in costs run around $1,030, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. In Serdang 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 $1,030 in Serdang to $1,378 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 Serdang. 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.