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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $776 in Shymkent.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,352 in Shymkent.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,928 in Shymkent.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 80% more expensive than in Shymkent, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Shymkent is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$10.77 ₸4,907

-68.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$32.49 ₸14.8K

18.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$6.63 ₸3,021

-16.74%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$2.39 ₸1,091

10.46%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$1.02 ₸467

63.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.53 ₸242

45.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$1.05 ₸480

150.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$1.33 ₸607

221.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.46 ₸666

6.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$0.42 ₸193

428.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$1.72 ₸783

-34.30%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$1.63 ₸741

28.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$10.25 ₸4,670

69.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$5.14 ₸2,343

-24.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$8.80 ₸4,009

42.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$1.18 ₸538

206.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$2.09 ₸954

-25.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$2.50 ₸1,139

-6.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$1.35 ₸614

52.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$0.53 ₸244

258.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$0.40 ₸181

485.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.86 ₸392

19.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$0.83 ₸380

-33.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$2.46 ₸1,121

-8.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$4.36 ₸1,987

446.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$1.04 ₸476

122.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$1.54 ₸703

81.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$0.13 ₸60.1

107.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$0.83 ₸377

-42.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

$0.37 ₸166

21.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$9.78 ₸4,457

-41.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$0.59 ₸267

28.81%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

$26.9K ₸12.2M

-8.94%

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$29.0K ₸13.2M

10.63%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$46.53 ₸21.2K

79.56%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$9.10 ₸4,145

-29.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$14.64 ₸6,671

29.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$38.70 ₸17.6K

44.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

$8.60 ₸3,920

116.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$5.40 ₸2,462

-20.74%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$56.5 ₸25.7K

761.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$35.70 ₸16.3K

27.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$33.12 ₸15.1K

9.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$182 ₸82.9K

-54.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$52.1 ₸23.7K

54.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$333 ₸151.8K

235.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$202 ₸91.9K

247.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$693 ₸315.7K

410.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$550 ₸250.7K

220.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

$1,075 ₸489.6K

162.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

$974 ₸443.6K

135.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$432 ₸196.9K

-60.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

18.25

-24.49%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Shymkent: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $333 in Shymkent. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shymkent pays 155% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $32.00 in Shymkent for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $183 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 80% in total monthly costs ($1,396 vs $776 including rent). Shymkent is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 155% 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: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $333 in Shymkent. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $487 in Ubud, Bali versus $56.5 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 $32.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $776 in Shymkent versus $1,396 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 80% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.