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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,360 in Shaab.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,273 in Shaab.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,186 in Shaab.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 1% more expensive than in Shaab, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Shaab is 1% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$13.13 KWD 4.03

-74.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$65.1 KWD 19.96

-44.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$8.65 KWD 2.65

-34.91%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.14 KWD 0.96

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 KWD 1.52

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$5.40 KWD 1.65

-47.78%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.70 KWD 0.21

150.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.34 KWD 0.11

135.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.66 KWD 0.51

-3.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.52 KWD 0.47

49.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.96 KWD 0.60

-40.31%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.06 KWD 0.63

5.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$4.47 KWD 1.37

294.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$6.58 KWD 2.02

-38.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$10.40 KWD 3.19

17.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.45 KWD 0.75

47.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.85 KWD 0.57

-11.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.82 KWD 0.56

26.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.50 KWD 0.46

30.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.39 KWD 0.43

32.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.48 KWD 0.45

60.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$2.29 KWD 0.70

-54.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.54 KWD 0.17

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.15 KWD 0.96

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 KWD 0.32

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.44 KWD 0.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.82 KWD 0.86

-18.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.84 KWD 0.26

-70.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$4.81 KWD 1.47

-89.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$3.17 KWD 0.97

-85.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$16.44 KWD 5.04

-65.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.33 KWD 0.10

145.45%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$21.1K KWD 6,484

18.26%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$20.4K KWD 6,249

52.42%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$65.7 KWD 20.16

25.83%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$22.73 KWD 6.97

-71.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$30.56 KWD 9.37

-38.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$96.2 KWD 29.49

-42.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$11.43 KWD 3.50

-62.38%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$304 KWD 93.1

62.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$9,545 KWD 2,927

-38.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$38.16 KWD 11.70

21.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$40.02 KWD 12.27

-8.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$100.0 KWD 30.65

-19.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$88.1 KWD 27.00

-10.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$720 KWD 221

54.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$590 KWD 181

17.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$1,750 KWD 536

107.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$1,326 KWD 407

29.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$3,181 KWD 975

-94.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.53

111.03%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Shaab: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $720 in Shaab. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shaab pays 1804% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $65.0 in Shaab. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $186, 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. The 1% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1804% lower in Shaab. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $720 in Shaab. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 58% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,360 in Shaab – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,360 in Shaab versus $1,378 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 1% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.