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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,378 in Shaab.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,321 in Shaab.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,263 in Shaab.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 3% more expensive than Shaab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Shaab 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$10.09 KWD 3.12

-64.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$81.4 KWD 25.14

-59.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$8.76 KWD 2.71

-43.49%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.50 KWD 0.77

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.59 KWD 1.11

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$5.86 KWD 1.81

-53.75%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.68 KWD 0.21

97.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.38 KWD 0.12

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.61 KWD 0.50

12.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.24 KWD 0.38

103.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.73 KWD 0.53

-32.95%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.09 KWD 0.64

17.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$5.17 KWD 1.59

184.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$6.59 KWD 2.04

-34.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$10.23 KWD 3.16

18.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$2.46 KWD 0.76

56.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.88 KWD 0.58

-17.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.79 KWD 0.55

58.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.50 KWD 0.46

55.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.24 KWD 0.38

54.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.26 KWD 0.39

74.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.61 KWD 0.50

-37.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.45 KWD 0.14

73.33%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.29 KWD 1.02

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.33 KWD 0.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$2.99 KWD 0.92

11.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.90 KWD 0.28

-70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$45.00 KWD 13.90

-82.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$3.30 KWD 1.02

-86.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$3.26 KWD 1.01

-86.20%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$16.30 KWD 5.03

-62.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.36 KWD 0.11

119.44%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$21.3K KWD 6,569

22.92%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$19.9K KWD 6,156

61.12%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$62.6 KWD 19.33

27.70%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$18.95 KWD 5.85

-78.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$25.89 KWD 7.99

-9.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$94.5 KWD 29.17

4.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$45.50 KWD 14.05

-85.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$11.52 KWD 3.56

-63.98%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$407 KWD 126

-25.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$6,485 KWD 2,003

1.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$42.61 KWD 13.16

30.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$42.28 KWD 13.06

-9.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$86.1 KWD 26.59

2.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$81.1 KWD 25.03

-3.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$779 KWD 241

29.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$605 KWD 187

11.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$1,547 KWD 478

122.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$1,269 KWD 392

60.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$3,219 KWD 994

-94.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

7.14

85.99%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Shaab: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $779 in Shaab. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shaab pays 1848% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $81.0 in Shaab. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $179, with Shaab cheaper for home cooking.

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 Shaab: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shaab is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Shaab earns 1848% 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $779 in Shaab. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Shaab – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,378 in Shaab versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Shaab but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Shaab the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Shaab is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Shaab 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 Shaab gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.