Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Shah Alam Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Shah Alam

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $958 in Shah Alam, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,436 in Shah Alam, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,913 in Shah Alam, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 46% more than Shah Alam, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Shah Alam is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$3.82 MYR 15.42

-11.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$19.79 MYR 79.8

95.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$4.15 MYR 16.74

33.01%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$2.94 MYR 11.87

-10.20%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$0.77 MYR 3.10

116.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.38 MYR 1.53

102.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$3.43 MYR 13.84

-23.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$4.59 MYR 18.51

-6.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.87 MYR 7.56

-17.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$1.07 MYR 4.32

107.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$1.44 MYR 5.80

-21.53%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$2.13 MYR 8.59

-1.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$13.27 MYR 53.5

31.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$4.33 MYR 17.48

-10.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$9.79 MYR 39.51

28.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$3.44 MYR 13.88

5.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$1.70 MYR 6.87

-8.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$2.76 MYR 11.15

-14.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$1.83 MYR 7.38

12.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$1.25 MYR 5.05

52.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$2.07 MYR 8.36

13.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.47 MYR 5.92

-29.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$0.57 MYR 2.31

-3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$4.20 MYR 16.96

-46.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$19.08 MYR 77.0

24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$2.79 MYR 11.24

-17.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$4.47 MYR 18.04

-37.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$0.77 MYR 3.09

-64.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

$16.34 MYR 65.9

-47.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$1.28 MYR 5.15

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

$0.39 MYR 1.57

15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$7.56 MYR 30.50

-24.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$0.75 MYR 3.02

1.33%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

$42.1K MYR 170.0K

-41.89%

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$35.5K MYR 143.3K

-9.55%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$38.25 MYR 154

118.43%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$9.86 MYR 39.79

-34.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$29.96 MYR 121

-36.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$39.58 MYR 160

41.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

$5.02 MYR 20.25

270.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$6.68 MYR 26.94

-35.93%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$202 MYR 814

141.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

$4,569 MYR 18.4K

28.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$58.4 MYR 236

-22.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$39.95 MYR 161

-8.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$68.5 MYR 276

19.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$70.8 MYR 286

13.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$350 MYR 1,412

219.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$311 MYR 1,255

125.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$567 MYR 2,288

523.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$555 MYR 2,241

217.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

$1,489 MYR 6,007

89.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

$1,181 MYR 4,764

94.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$1,238 MYR 4,994

-86.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.24

225.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Shah Alam: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $350 in Shah Alam. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 629% higher in Shah Alam, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $20.00 in Shah Alam. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $264 – making Shah Alam the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Shah Alam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 46%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,437 in Shah Alam. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Shah Alam, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $20.00 in Shah Alam. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,396 in Ubud, Bali and $958 in Shah Alam. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Shah Alam, where all-in costs run around $958, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. In Shah Alam it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shah Alam – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Shah Alam. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.