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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $821 in Sibu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,237 in Sibu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,653 in Sibu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 73% more expensive than Sibu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Sibu is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$2.10 MYR 8.43

69.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$8.41 MYR 33.74

289.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$4.00 MYR 16.03

23.75%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$2.13 MYR 8.52

27.23%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$0.60 MYR 2.39

123.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.23 MYR 0.92

204.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$2.84 MYR 11.40

2.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$4.95 MYR 19.86

-20.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.39 MYR 5.56

30.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.33 MYR 5.32

89.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.20 MYR 4.81

-3.33%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$1.55 MYR 6.22

58.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$14.94 MYR 59.9

-1.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$4.68 MYR 18.77

-7.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$5.93 MYR 23.78

104.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$3.04 MYR 12.20

26.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.21 MYR 4.83

28.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$1.87 MYR 7.50

51.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$3.48 MYR 13.95

-33.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$1.25 MYR 5.00

52.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$2.31 MYR 9.27

-4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$0.99 MYR 3.99

2.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$1.20 MYR 4.83

-35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$3.94 MYR 15.81

-15.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$18.02 MYR 72.3

31.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.22 MYR 4.88

128.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$4.09 MYR 16.41

-30.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.73 MYR 2.92

-63.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$11.84 MYR 47.46

-32.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

$1.20 MYR 4.80

-61.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$0.98 MYR 3.93

-54.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$5.83 MYR 23.38

4.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$0.50 MYR 1.99

58.00%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$34.7K MYR 139.2K

-24.69%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

$31.4K MYR 125.7K

2.42%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$43.93 MYR 176

81.97%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$5.12 MYR 20.53

-20.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$18.25 MYR 73.2

28.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$23.20 MYR 93.1

325.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$5.79 MYR 23.20

14.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$3.09 MYR 12.40

34.30%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$190 MYR 762

60.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$6,990 MYR 28.0K

-5.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$61.0 MYR 245

-8.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$27.04 MYR 108

41.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$72.0 MYR 289

23.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$50.2 MYR 201

55.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

$384 MYR 1,540

162.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$271 MYR 1,085

149.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$650 MYR 2,606

429.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$464 MYR 1,863

339.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$2,217 MYR 8,890

28.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$869 MYR 3,484

160.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$511 MYR 2,048

-67.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.25

212.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sibu: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $384 in Sibu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sibu pays 209% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $8.00 in Sibu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $249 per month, with Sibu 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 Sibu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sibu wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sibu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Sibu earns 209% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $384 in Sibu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $821 in Sibu – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sibu runs roughly 47% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $821 in Sibu versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sibu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sibu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $821 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sibu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Sibu 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 Sibu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.