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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,584 in Sharjah.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,291 in Sharjah.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,997 in Sharjah.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 12% less than in Sharjah, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Sharjah 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$5.54 AED 20.34

-35.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$32.58 AED 120

-0.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$9.21 AED 33.84

-45.60%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$9.55 AED 35.07

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.45 AED 34.72

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$4.44 AED 16.29

-36.49%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.95 AED 3.50

42.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.37 AED 1.37

97.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.77 AED 6.48

0.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.20 AED 4.41

104.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$2.04 AED 7.50

-43.63%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.77 AED 10.16

-13.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$10.28 AED 37.75

39.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$6.82 AED 25.05

-38.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$8.45 AED 31.03

42.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$1.84 AED 6.75

97.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.49 AED 5.46

5.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.42 AED 5.22

96.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.18 AED 4.33

89.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.00 AED 3.67

98.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.18 AED 4.32

93.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.49 AED 5.48

-29.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.64 AED 2.33

23.44%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.34 AED 56.3

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.95 AED 7.18

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.30 AED 12.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$6.33 AED 23.24

-49.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$1.66 AED 6.11

-83.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$40.20 AED 148

-79.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$3.60 AED 13.21

-87.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.66 AED 2.43

-30.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$4.77 AED 17.53

27.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.75 AED 2.77

14.67%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$44.9K AED 165.0K

-40.81%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$22.5K AED 82.7K

44.61%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$197 AED 725

-59.98%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$64.5 AED 237

-93.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$101 AED 371

-76.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$62.4 AED 229

58.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$38.49 AED 141

-83.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$12.90 AED 47.36

-68.91%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$274 AED 1,005

8.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$6,120 AED 22.5K

7.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$51.2 AED 188

4.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$98.6 AED 362

-61.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$96.2 AED 353

-7.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$82.3 AED 302

-6.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$752 AED 2,763

35.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$603 AED 2,214

12.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$1,609 AED 5,908

115.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$1,041 AED 3,823

100.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$8,029 AED 29.5K

-66.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$2,747 AED 10.1K

-16.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$2,246 AED 8,251

-92.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.42

200.45%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Sharjah: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $752 in Sharjah. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sharjah pays 1272% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $33.00 in Sharjah. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $188, with Sharjah 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 Sharjah: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Sharjah differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $1,584 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1272% lower in Sharjah. 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $752 in Sharjah. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $33.00 in Sharjah. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,584 in Sharjah – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,584 in Sharjah, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Sharjah. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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 Sharjah 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Sharjah. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.