Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Seri Iskandar Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Seri Iskandar

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,397 in Ubud, Bali versus $677 in Seri Iskandar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,588 in Ubud, Bali versus $875 in Seri Iskandar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,778 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,073 in Seri Iskandar.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 107% more expensive than in Seri Iskandar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Seri Iskandar is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 Rp 61.6K

$2.74 MYR 11.22

25.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 Rp 574.4K

$28.09 MYR 115

13.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 Rp 90.8K

$4.50 MYR 18.42

12.22%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.8K

$0.90 MYR 3.66

201.11%

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

$1.39 Rp 25.0K

$0.50 MYR 2.04

178.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$0.27 MYR 1.12

174.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 52.0K

$2.79 MYR 11.41

3.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.1K

$3.45 MYR 14.11

9.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.56 MYR 6.40

14.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 Rp 45.0K

$0.92 MYR 3.77

172.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$0.45 MYR 1.84

168.89%

Eggs

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

$1.99 MYR 8.14

19.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 Rp 259.3K

$5.35 MYR 21.88

169.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 Rp 74.6K

$1.95 MYR 7.96

112.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 Rp 217.7K

$4.16 MYR 17.02

191.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 Rp 67.7K

$2.06 MYR 8.42

83.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.61 MYR 6.60

1.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.88 MYR 7.68

44.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$0.98 MYR 4.03

130.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.6K

$0.58 MYR 2.35

232.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.4K

$0.92 MYR 3.77

138.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.97 MYR 3.95

5.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.62 MYR 2.53

16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 57.2K

$4.05 MYR 16.57

-21.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.84 Rp 428.3K

$7.49 MYR 30.62

218.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

$2.33 MYR 9.50

18.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$3.58 MYR 14.65

-23.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$1.05 MYR 4.28

-74.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 Rp 147.3K

$11.58 MYR 47.34

-29.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,684

$0.90 MYR 3.66

-46.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,571

$1.10 MYR 4.51

-61.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 Rp 108.3K

$4.79 MYR 19.56

25.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.50 MYR 2.06

64.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.3M

$18.6K MYR 76.0K

42.89%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.6M

$18.5K MYR 75.7K

73.90%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$65.4 MYR 267

19.74%

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

$3.91 Rp 70.3K

$9.56 MYR 39.08

-59.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 Rp 429.7K

$16.23 MYR 66.3

47.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$12.83 MYR 52.5

649.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 117.3K

$6.05 MYR 24.75

7.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.1K

$3.52 MYR 14.39

13.92%

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

$303 Rp 5.4M

$163 MYR 668

85.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,551 Rp 117.7M

$9,314 MYR 38.1K

-29.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 Rp 993.9K

$16.37 MYR 66.9

237.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 Rp 688.6K

$8.07 MYR 33.00

374.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

$59.3 MYR 242

49.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$35.54 MYR 145

115.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$389 MYR 1,591

153.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 Rp 12.3M

$274 MYR 1,120

149.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,420 Rp 61.5M

$646 MYR 2,642

429.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 Rp 37.3M

$155 MYR 634

1237.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 Rp 49.6M

$2,209 MYR 9,030

25.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.3M

$1,233 MYR 5,041

81.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$364 MYR 1,489

-53.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

564.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 22, 2026

Last update for Seri Iskandar: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $389 in Seri Iskandar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seri Iskandar pays 116% 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 $28.00 in Seri Iskandar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $154 per month, with Seri Iskandar 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 Seri Iskandar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Seri Iskandar differ by about 107% in total monthly costs ($1,397 vs $677 including rent). Seri Iskandar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 116% lower in Seri Iskandar. 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $389 in Seri Iskandar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Seri Iskandar – a meal for two runs $28.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $677 in Seri Iskandar – a 107% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $677 in Seri Iskandar versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Seri Iskandar but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Seri Iskandar 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 Seri Iskandar 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 Seri Iskandar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 107% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.