Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sharjah

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,349 a month against $1,726 in Sharjah, rent and utilities included – about $4,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Sharjah
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates
$1,726
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Sharjah

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Sharjah actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,726 in Sharjah.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,349
  • Sharjah $1,726

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,594 in Sharjah.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,305
  • Sharjah $2,594

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,261 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,462 in Sharjah.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,261
  • Sharjah $3,462

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 22% less than in Sharjah, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Sharjah
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.32 Rp 60.3K
$5.88 AED 21.58
-43.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.64 Rp 646.5K
$32.16 AED 118
10.82%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.53 Rp 100.4K
$8.13 AED 29.87
-31.98%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$9.57 AED 35.13
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$9.29 AED 34.12
-
Cappuccino
$2.72 Rp 49.3K
$3.12 AED 11.46
-12.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 Rp 30.9K
$0.75 AED 2.75
126.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
$0.31 AED 1.15
145.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 48.1K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 Rp 79.5K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Sharjah
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 Rp 27.0K
$1.59 AED 5.84
-6.29%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 Rp 41.3K
$1.20 AED 4.40
90.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
$1.82 AED 6.70
-34.62%
Eggs
$2.04 Rp 36.9K
$3.32 AED 12.20
-38.55%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.70 Rp 321.1K
$8.65 AED 31.77
104.62%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.96 Rp 71.9K
$6.54 AED 24.01
-39.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.19 Rp 221.1K
$11.46 AED 42.09
6.37%
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 Rp 66.3K
$2.26 AED 8.28
61.95%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 Rp 27.5K
$1.75 AED 6.44
-13.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
$1.32 AED 4.83
68.94%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
$1.23 AED 4.50
60.16%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 Rp 33.5K
$1.08 AED 3.96
71.30%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 44.0K
$1.10 AED 4.06
120.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 18.0K
$1.42 AED 5.20
-30.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 Rp 9,313
$0.59 AED 2.18
-13.56%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$15.45 AED 56.8
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$2.50 AED 9.16
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.69 AED 9.88
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.22 Rp 40.3K
$6.57 AED 24.14
-66.21%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.24 Rp 403.4K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 Rp 41.0K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Sharjah
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,553
$2.12 AED 7.79
-88.21%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.82 Rp 141.9K
$27.55 AED 101
-71.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,972
$3.61 AED 13.26
-87.81%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,801
$0.56 AED 2.07
-23.21%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 Rp 98.1K
$12.03 AED 44.19
-55.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 Rp 15.0K
$0.97 AED 3.58
-15.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K Rp 432.4M
$44.1K AED 162.1K
-45.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 575.9M
$21.0K AED 77.1K
51.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Sharjah
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$212 AED 779
-62.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 116.9K
$48.90 AED 180
-86.81%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.58 Rp 337.0K
$98.0 AED 360
-81.03%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Sharjah
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.48 Rp 897.5K
$54.3 AED 199
-8.81%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.65 Rp 320.1K
$22.44 AED 82.4
-21.35%
Cinema Ticket
$4.27 Rp 77.5K
$13.82 AED 50.8
-69.10%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Sharjah
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$491 Rp 8.9M
$340 AED 1,250
44.15%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,674 Rp 102.9M
$8,356 AED 30.7K
-32.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Sharjah
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.64 Rp 809.7K
$58.8 AED 216
-24.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.95 Rp 634.0K
$78.4 AED 288
-55.41%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$108 AED 396
-25.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
$93.8 AED 344
-15.32%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Sharjah
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,125 Rp 20.4M
$816 AED 2,996
37.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 Rp 12.2M
$784 AED 2,879
-14.35%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,565 Rp 64.7M
$1,831 AED 6,723
94.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,723 Rp 31.3M
$1,578 AED 5,795
9.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,732 Rp 49.5M
$7,442 AED 27.3K
-63.30%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,284 Rp 41.4M
$2,551 AED 9,368
-10.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Sharjah
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$164 Rp 3.0M
$2,219 AED 8,149
-92.62%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
4.5
206.22%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$672
Sharjah
$784 16.8% $113
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$288
Sharjah
$193 33.1% $96
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$108
Sharjah
$113 5% $5.4
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Sharjah
$152 41.8% $45
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$104
Sharjah
$359 245% $255
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$58
Sharjah
$82 41.2% $24
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$11
Sharjah
$42 272% $31

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,125 in Ubud, Bali and $816 in Sharjah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sharjah pays about 14 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $36 in Ubud, Bali vs $32 in Sharjah for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $193 per month, with Sharjah cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇦🇪 Sharjah
🕒 Local time
11:05 11:05 AM
07:05 7:05 AM
4 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
1,400,000
💱 Currency
UAE Dirham AED د.إ
Exchange rates and currency converter

AED, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18,138 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,252 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

UAE Dirham exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 3.67 AED (1 AED = 0.272 USD). 1 EUR = 4.1 AED (1 AED = 0.244 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Sharjah 7,480 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Sharjah

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Sharjah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in Sharjah?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,349 in Ubud, Bali and $1,726 in Sharjah, so Ubud, Bali is about 22% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 93% lower in Ubud, Bali. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Sharjah?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,125 in Ubud, Bali versus $816 in Sharjah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Sharjah – a meal for two runs $32 versus $36 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ubud, Bali or Sharjah?
All in, you’ll spend $1,349 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,726 in Sharjah – Ubud, Bali is about 22% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Which city is feasible on a $1,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Ubud, Bali is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Sharjah?
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.
Is Ubud, Bali or Sharjah safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Sharjah are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.
How do I decide between Ubud, Bali and Sharjah?
It comes down to priorities – Ubud, Bali wins on affordability, Sharjah on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.

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