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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $802 in Sibu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,227 in Sibu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,652 in Sibu.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Sibu is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

$2.16 MYR 8.84

65.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

$8.61 MYR 35.20

275.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

$4.18 MYR 17.10

19.86%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

$2.08 MYR 8.50

35.58%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.63 MYR 2.59

114.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.23 MYR 0.93

217.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.85 MYR 11.65

2.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

$5.08 MYR 20.77

-22.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$1.39 MYR 5.67

28.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

$1.35 MYR 5.53

81.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

$1.15 MYR 4.70

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

$1.53 MYR 6.24

57.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

$14.98 MYR 61.2

-4.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

$4.67 MYR 19.07

-10.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

$5.98 MYR 24.42

101.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

$2.99 MYR 12.20

21.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.16 MYR 4.75

35.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

$1.93 MYR 7.87

44.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$3.50 MYR 14.29

-36.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

$1.19 MYR 4.86

66.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

$2.33 MYR 9.54

-2.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

$1.05 MYR 4.28

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.20 MYR 4.89

-34.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

$4.06 MYR 16.58

-21.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

$19.77 MYR 80.8

18.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

$1.22 MYR 5.00

137.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

$3.90 MYR 15.96

-29.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

$0.72 MYR 2.96

-62.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

$11.95 MYR 48.84

-29.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,180

$1.21 MYR 4.94

-62.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,311

$0.99 MYR 4.06

-53.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

$5.80 MYR 23.70

4.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.47 MYR 1.90

82.98%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

$35.5K MYR 145.1K

-25.11%

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

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

$31.8K MYR 129.9K

2.44%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$42.92 MYR 175

84.11%

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

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

$5.16 MYR 21.11

-20.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

$18.36 MYR 75.1

29.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$22.98 MYR 93.9

329.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

$5.80 MYR 23.69

9.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

$3.22 MYR 13.17

24.53%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$185 MYR 756

60.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

$6,983 MYR 28.5K

-5.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

$60.4 MYR 247

-11.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

$27.03 MYR 110

40.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$71.7 MYR 293

23.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$49.94 MYR 204

53.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$392 MYR 1,603

160.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$269 MYR 1,097

153.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

$653 MYR 2,670

431.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

$465 MYR 1,899

349.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$2,325 MYR 9,502

17.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

$1,259 MYR 5,145

82.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$489 MYR 1,998

-66.52%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Sibu: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $392 in Sibu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sibu pays 199% 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 $9.00 in Sibu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $252 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, salaries run 199% 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $392 in Sibu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $802 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 43% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $802 in Sibu versus $1,392 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 $802 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.