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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $690 in Seri Iskandar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Ubud, Bali versus $894 in Seri Iskandar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,097 in Seri Iskandar.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 104% more expensive than 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

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$2.74 MYR 10.82

24.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$28.57 MYR 113

15.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$4.40 MYR 17.37

15.45%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$0.99 MYR 3.89

184.85%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$0.54 MYR 2.13

153.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.25 MYR 0.99

184.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$2.86 MYR 11.31

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$3.62 MYR 14.31

8.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.57 MYR 6.18

11.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$0.90 MYR 3.56

180.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$0.46 MYR 1.82

163.04%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$1.92 MYR 7.59

21.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$5.35 MYR 21.13

171.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$1.90 MYR 7.52

129.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$4.31 MYR 17.03

179.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$2.07 MYR 8.19

84.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.57 MYR 6.19

2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$1.91 MYR 7.54

41.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$0.91 MYR 3.59

145.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$0.61 MYR 2.40

211.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$0.91 MYR 3.59

139.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$0.91 MYR 3.60

13.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$0.58 MYR 2.29

32.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$4.18 MYR 16.51

-23.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$7.64 MYR 30.19

204.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$2.41 MYR 9.52

18.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$3.55 MYR 14.03

-23.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$1.08 MYR 4.28

-73.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

$11.81 MYR 46.65

-28.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$0.90 MYR 3.56

-45.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

$1.10 MYR 4.36

-59.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$4.78 MYR 18.88

31.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$0.51 MYR 2.00

66.67%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$19.2K MYR 75.9K

35.63%

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$18.5K MYR 73.2K

70.07%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$64.3 MYR 254

24.02%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$9.41 MYR 37.17

-56.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$15.94 MYR 63.0

50.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$12.99 MYR 51.3

640.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

$5.85 MYR 23.12

11.62%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$3.58 MYR 14.16

15.36%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

$163 MYR 645

81.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$9,610 MYR 38.0K

-30.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$16.53 MYR 65.3

232.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$8.27 MYR 32.67

368.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$59.6 MYR 235

50.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$35.13 MYR 139

124.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$383 MYR 1,512

166.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$264 MYR 1,044

149.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

$653 MYR 2,579

426.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$151 MYR 598

1256.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

$1,870 MYR 7,387

59.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

$822 MYR 3,247

188.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

$375 MYR 1,482

-54.15%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Seri Iskandar: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali and $383 in Seri Iskandar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seri Iskandar pays 118% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $29 in Seri Iskandar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $153 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 104% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $690 including rent). Seri Iskandar is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Seri Iskandar earns 118% less. 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: $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $383 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 $29.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $690 in Seri Iskandar – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $690 in Seri Iskandar versus $1,408 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 104% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.