Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sheikh Zayed Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sheikh Zayed

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $473 in Sheikh Zayed, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $769 in Sheikh Zayed, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,065 in Sheikh Zayed, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 200% more than Sheikh Zayed, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Sheikh Zayed is 65% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$3.51 E£182

1.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$15.93 E£827

105.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$3.99 E£207

24.06%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.50 E£78.1

80.67%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.31 E£16.28

332.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.12 E£6.38

483.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$1.22 E£63.1

139.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$2.95 E£153

34.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$0.82 E£42.31

120.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.74 E£38.22

240.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$0.70 E£36.12

65.71%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.40 E£72.5

75.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$3.97 E£206

270.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$4.33 E£225

-0.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$9.62 E£499

26.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$1.49 E£77.1

157.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$0.47 E£24.45

231.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$0.40 E£20.62

607.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$0.37 E£19.18

529.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$0.38 E£19.61

402.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$0.38 E£19.88

478.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.24 E£12.47

320.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.14 E£7.26

457.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$1.70 E£88.2

95.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$5.92 E£307

301.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.39 E£72.3

100.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.60 E£135

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.25 E£13.03

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$0.53 E£27.27

-13.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.43 E£22.24

4.65%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$2.03 E£105

200.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.31 E£15.90

154.84%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$35.4K E£1.8M

-26.12%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$33.6K E£1.7M

-4.43%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$11.24 E£583

611.21%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$5.64 E£293

-28.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$10.13 E£526

132.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$39.73 E£2,062

148.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$9.74 E£505

-31.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$3.02 E£157

37.42%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$88.3 E£4,581

244.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$1,875 E£97.3K

252.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$27.13 E£1,408

104.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$47.83 E£2,483

-19.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$110 E£5,693

-19.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$50.7 E£2,630

53.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$189 E£9,795

433.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$99.5 E£5,164

578.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$433 E£22.5K

694.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$176 E£9,108

1062.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$1,073 E£55.7K

164.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$577 E£30.0K

292.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$132 E£6,844

25.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-21.88%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sheikh Zayed: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $189 in Sheikh Zayed. 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 25% higher in Ubud, Bali, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $16.00 in Sheikh Zayed. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $129 – making Sheikh Zayed 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 Sheikh Zayed: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, $473 in Sheikh Zayed – roughly 200% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $709 in Sheikh Zayed. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sheikh Zayed, 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $16.00 in Sheikh Zayed. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 135% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sheikh Zayed, where all-in costs run around $473, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Sheikh Zayed it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $473 in Sheikh Zayed to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Sheikh Zayed. 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.