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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,365 in Shuwaikh, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,344 in Shuwaikh, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,323 in Shuwaikh, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 4% more than Shuwaikh, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ubud, Bali and Shuwaikh sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 6%, Shuwaikh by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$9.76 KWD 3.01

-63.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$83.3 KWD 25.72

-60.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$9.09 KWD 2.81

-45.54%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 KWD 0.74

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 KWD 1.11

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$5.98 KWD 1.85

-54.68%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.65 KWD 0.20

106.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.38 KWD 0.12

84.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.61 KWD 0.50

12.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.25 KWD 0.39

101.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.70 KWD 0.53

-31.76%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.11 KWD 0.65

16.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$5.23 KWD 1.62

181.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$6.39 KWD 1.97

-32.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$10.20 KWD 3.15

19.02%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$2.44 KWD 0.75

57.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.97 KWD 0.61

-20.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.74 KWD 0.54

62.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.43 KWD 0.44

62.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.23 KWD 0.38

55.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.27 KWD 0.39

73.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.68 KWD 0.52

-39.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.46 KWD 0.14

69.57%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$3.18 KWD 0.98

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 KWD 0.31

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.39 KWD 0.43

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$2.92 KWD 0.90

13.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.83 KWD 0.25

-67.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$44.85 KWD 13.85

-82.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$3.36 KWD 1.04

-86.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$3.22 KWD 0.99

-86.02%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$16.30 KWD 5.03

-62.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.36 KWD 0.11

119.44%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$21.5K KWD 6,636

21.68%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$19.8K KWD 6,117

62.14%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$63.1 KWD 19.48

26.75%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$18.46 KWD 5.70

-78.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$25.93 KWD 8.01

-9.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$92.8 KWD 28.64

6.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$46.79 KWD 14.45

-85.83%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$11.50 KWD 3.55

-63.91%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$399 KWD 123

-23.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$6,628 KWD 2,047

-0.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$41.36 KWD 12.77

34.28%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$42.66 KWD 13.17

-10.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$86.4 KWD 26.67

2.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$83.1 KWD 25.66

-6.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$800 KWD 247

25.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$599 KWD 185

12.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$1,557 KWD 481

121.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$1,287 KWD 397

58.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$4,281 KWD 1,322

-96.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

7.14

85.99%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Shuwaikh: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $800 in Shuwaikh. 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 2491% higher in Shuwaikh, 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $83.0 in Shuwaikh. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $179 in Shuwaikh – so Shuwaikh wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Shuwaikh: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, $1,365 in Shuwaikh – roughly 4% 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 $2,048 in Shuwaikh. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 69% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $83.0 in Shuwaikh. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shuwaikh, where all-in costs run around $1,365, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Shuwaikh 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 $1,365 in Shuwaikh 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 Shuwaikh. 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.