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 $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $969 in Serdang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,551 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,465 in Serdang, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,961 in Serdang, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 44% more than Serdang, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Serdang is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.6K

$4.64 MYR 19.10

-26.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 577.1K

$28.83 MYR 119

12.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 89.1K

$4.82 MYR 19.83

3.73%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.3K

$2.98 MYR 12.27

-5.37%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

$0.92 MYR 3.78

50.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.50 MYR 2.06

46.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$4.16 MYR 17.11

-28.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.8K

$6.03 MYR 24.83

-34.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$2.08 MYR 8.58

-13.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.01 MYR 4.17

143.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$1.72 MYR 7.09

-30.23%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

$2.19 MYR 9.03

9.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 256.6K

$14.44 MYR 59.4

-0.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 76.4K

$4.70 MYR 19.36

-8.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.6K

$9.79 MYR 40.29

20.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.4K

$2.95 MYR 12.13

28.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$1.64 MYR 6.76

-0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.9K

$2.58 MYR 10.62

8.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.3K

$1.53 MYR 6.29

47.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.6K

$1.23 MYR 5.05

62.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

$1.41 MYR 5.80

56.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

$1.17 MYR 4.82

-8.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.63 MYR 2.58

20.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.7K

$4.29 MYR 17.67

-27.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 424.4K

$18.83 MYR 77.5

26.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.6K

$3.36 MYR 13.82

-15.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.5K

$4.42 MYR 18.20

-37.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,755

$0.68 MYR 2.80

-60.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 149.1K

$11.98 MYR 49.32

-30.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,082

$1.21 MYR 4.98

-62.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,624

$1.15 MYR 4.73

-62.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 106.5K

$4.68 MYR 19.28

27.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.50 MYR 2.07

60.00%

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

$25.8K Rp 459.9M

$40.3K MYR 165.7K

-35.92%

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

$31.8K Rp 566.8M

$31.9K MYR 131.5K

-0.46%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$64.2 MYR 264

25.74%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.7K

$11.31 MYR 46.53

-63.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 429.8K

$25.22 MYR 104

-4.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$36.95 MYR 152

164.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 118.4K

$5.97 MYR 24.55

11.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.9K

$5.32 MYR 21.91

-24.06%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$268 MYR 1,105

10.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 117.4M

$9,433 MYR 38.8K

-30.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 982.6K

$61.7 MYR 254

-10.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 686.2K

$37.14 MYR 153

3.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$86.0 MYR 354

0.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$80.2 MYR 330

-2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.6M

$389 MYR 1,601

153.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$266 MYR 1,096

149.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.4M

$641 MYR 2,639

437.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.4M

$476 MYR 1,960

328.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.4M

$1,946 MYR 8,008

45.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.7M

$973 MYR 4,006

134.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$988 MYR 4,065

-82.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.47

197.09%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Serdang: June 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $389 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 484% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $29.00 in Serdang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $267 – 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: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali, $969 in Serdang – roughly 44% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,091 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,454 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 12% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $29.00 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 $969, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,394. 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 $969 in Serdang to $1,394 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.