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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $678 in Shymkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,076 in Shymkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,473 in Shymkent.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 108% more expensive than in Shymkent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Shymkent is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$9.93 ₸4,669

-65.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$19.90 ₸9,353

62.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$6.99 ₸3,287

-30.76%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.85 ₸868

48.65%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.99 ₸467

39.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.41 ₸192

82.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.15 ₸542

160.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$1.91 ₸898

101.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.15 ₸541

51.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.30 ₸142

720.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.63 ₸767

-28.22%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.44 ₸676

68.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$7.92 ₸3,724

83.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.18 ₸1,967

4.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$6.47 ₸3,042

85.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$0.96 ₸450

287.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.78 ₸837

-8.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.91 ₸896

43.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.02 ₸480

119.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.48 ₸224

300.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.38 ₸178

500.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.79 ₸373

34.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.69 ₸322

4.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$1.99 ₸937

65.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$4.33 ₸2,034

435.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$0.94 ₸443

195.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.33 ₸627

105.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.14 ₸64.0

92.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.89 ₸418

-46.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.62 ₸294

-32.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$5.80 ₸2,724

7.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.50 ₸234

62.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$19.3K ₸9.1M

37.76%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$23.9K ₸11.2M

34.75%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$50.4 ₸23.7K

55.33%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$8.64 ₸4,060

-52.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$12.73 ₸5,981

91.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$33.03 ₸15.5K

198.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$7.81 ₸3,670

-18.82%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$5.04 ₸2,367

-20.83%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$48.24 ₸22.7K

532.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$4,849 ₸2.3M

36.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$33.02 ₸15.5K

63.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$29.87 ₸14.0K

26.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$120 ₸56.4K

-27.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$46.86 ₸22.0K

62.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$297 ₸139.7K

233.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$174 ₸81.7K

287.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$475 ₸223.2K

610.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$365 ₸171.5K

461.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$1,039 ₸488.5K

169.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$935 ₸439.7K

138.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$415 ₸195.2K

-59.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

19.5

-31.90%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $297 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shymkent pays 149% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $20.00 in Shymkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $149 per month, with Shymkent cheaper across the board.

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 Shymkent: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Shymkent differ by about 108% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $678 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 149% lower in Shymkent. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $297 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $48.24 in Shymkent. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Shymkent – a meal for two runs $20.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $678 in Shymkent versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shymkent but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Shymkent 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 Shymkent 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 Shymkent gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.