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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $796 in Seremban.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,237 in Seremban.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,679 in Seremban.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 77% more expensive than in Seremban, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Seremban is 40% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Seremban
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.45 Rp 62.1K
$2.88 MYR 11.79
19.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.34 Rp 581.1K
$18.95 MYR 77.5
70.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.84 Rp 87.1K
$3.52 MYR 14.40
37.50%
Cappuccino
$2.75 Rp 49.4K
$2.81 MYR 11.50
-2.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 Rp 24.9K
$0.85 MYR 3.47
62.35%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 Rp 13.5K
$0.45 MYR 1.86
66.67%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.99 Rp 53.8K
$3.48 MYR 14.21
-14.08%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 Rp 69.2K
$6.61 MYR 27.04
-41.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Seremban
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 Rp 31.2K
$1.71 MYR 6.98
1.75%
White Bread (500g)
$2.46 Rp 44.2K
$0.95 MYR 3.87
158.95%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.17 Rp 21.0K
$1.30 MYR 5.32
-10.00%
Eggs
$2.43 Rp 43.7K
$1.82 MYR 7.45
33.52%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.50 Rp 260.6K
$15.01 MYR 61.4
-3.40%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.35 Rp 78.2K
$3.95 MYR 16.16
10.13%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.98 Rp 215.3K
$8.45 MYR 34.56
41.78%
Apples (1kg)
$3.72 Rp 66.8K
$3.63 MYR 14.86
2.48%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 Rp 29.2K
$1.20 MYR 4.92
35.83%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.74 Rp 49.3K
$2.53 MYR 10.33
8.30%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.3K
$1.68 MYR 6.86
33.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 Rp 34.5K
$1.04 MYR 4.26
84.62%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 Rp 40.9K
$1.32 MYR 5.40
72.73%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 19.1K
$1.32 MYR 5.38
-19.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 Rp 12.9K
$0.56 MYR 2.28
28.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.29 Rp 59.0K
$4.25 MYR 17.39
-22.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.19 Rp 416.8K
$13.94 MYR 57.0
66.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 Rp 49.9K
$2.74 MYR 11.19
1.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
$4.29 MYR 17.55
-36.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Seremban
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,786
$1.14 MYR 4.68
-76.32%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.11 Rp 145.7K
$11.73 MYR 47.97
-30.86%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,675
$0.72 MYR 2.95
-33.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,545
$0.94 MYR 3.82
-55.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.22 Rp 111.8K
$4.57 MYR 18.70
36.11%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.46 MYR 1.89
76.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K Rp 478.2M
$49.4K MYR 201.8K
-46.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K Rp 578.5M
$32.3K MYR 132.1K
-0.35%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Seremban
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$36.95 MYR 151
112.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.07 Rp 73.1K
$8.92 MYR 36.48
-54.37%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.33 Rp 437.1K
$25.73 MYR 105
-5.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Seremban
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.6 Rp 1.8M
$56.3 MYR 230
75.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.34 Rp 113.9K
$5.81 MYR 23.78
9.12%
Cinema Ticket
$3.99 Rp 71.6K
$4.11 MYR 16.83
-2.92%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Seremban
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 Rp 5.5M
$187 MYR 766
62.98%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,642 Rp 119.4M
$4,406 MYR 18.0K
50.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Seremban
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.1 Rp 972.9K
$66.0 MYR 270
-18.01%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.81 Rp 679.4K
$18.87 MYR 77.2
100.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 Rp 1.6M
$71.8 MYR 294
20.88%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.4 Rp 1.4M
$40.37 MYR 165
89.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Seremban
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$992 Rp 17.8M
$264 MYR 1,080
275.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$188 MYR 768
258.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,375 Rp 60.7M
$429 MYR 1,753
687.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,050 Rp 36.8M
$352 MYR 1,438
482.94%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,805 Rp 50.4M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,227 Rp 40.0M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Seremban
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$167 Rp 3.0M
$798 MYR 3,264
-79.08%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
4.07
226.29%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Seremban: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $264 in Seremban. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seremban pays 378% 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 $19.00 in Seremban for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $241 per month, with Seremban 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 Seremban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Seremban?
Seremban wins on cost – living expenses run 77% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Seremban the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Seremban?
On paper, salaries run 378% lower in Seremban. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali compared to Seremban?
Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $264 in Seremban. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Ubud, Bali compared to Seremban?
A monthly transit pass in Seremban runs roughly 45% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Seremban?
Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $187 in Seremban. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Seremban?
At $796 in Seremban versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Seremban but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Seremban the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Seremban?
Both work as nomad bases, but Seremban delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $796 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Seremban hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Seremban?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Seremban are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Seremban gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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