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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $884 in Sibu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,308 in Sibu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,733 in Sibu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 55% more expensive than in Sibu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Sibu is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$2.18 MYR 8.91

57.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$19.54 MYR 79.8

85.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$4.20 MYR 17.16

35.95%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.36 MYR 9.65

13.14%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.67 MYR 2.73

161.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.24 MYR 0.98

262.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$3.02 MYR 12.32

-2.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$4.30 MYR 17.55

5.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.77 MYR 7.23

-8.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.84 MYR 3.41

177.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.31 MYR 5.34

-15.27%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.97 MYR 8.06

11.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$15.04 MYR 61.4

17.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$4.22 MYR 17.22

-2.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$10.14 MYR 41.40

20.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$3.24 MYR 13.24

14.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.84 MYR 7.53

-13.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.74 MYR 11.18

-16.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.50 MYR 6.13

30.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.26 MYR 5.12

51.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.20 MYR 4.90

94.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.08 MYR 4.41

-6.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.50 MYR 2.05

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$4.52 MYR 18.45

-50.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$20.54 MYR 83.9

12.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$3.00 MYR 12.23

-19.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$3.66 MYR 14.93

-18.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.66 MYR 2.69

-59.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$14.00 MYR 57.2

-35.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.31 MYR 5.33

-63.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.44 MYR 1.80

-2.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$8.43 MYR 34.41

-33.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.66 MYR 2.71

21.21%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$36.0K MYR 146.9K

-30.68%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$35.2K MYR 143.8K

-9.95%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$49.25 MYR 201

65.40%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$7.19 MYR 29.34

-9.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$26.77 MYR 109

-29.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$27.76 MYR 113

104.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$6.44 MYR 26.30

190.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$3.65 MYR 14.89

24.38%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$180 MYR 735

167.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$4,923 MYR 20.1K

16.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$61.3 MYR 250

-25.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$36.18 MYR 148

-0.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$93.0 MYR 380

-13.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$69.4 MYR 283

13.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$416 MYR 1,696

168.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$359 MYR 1,466

94.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$784 MYR 3,201

363.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$449 MYR 1,832

287.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$1,916 MYR 7,822

45.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$1,147 MYR 4,682

99.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$499 MYR 2,037

-66.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.2

228.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sibu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $416 in Sibu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sibu pays 197% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $20.00 in Sibu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $261 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 55% 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, salaries run 197% lower in Sibu. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $416 in Sibu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $884 in Sibu – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sibu runs roughly 56% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $884 in Sibu versus $1,368 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 $884 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 55% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.