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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $928 in Skudai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,343 in Skudai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,757 in Skudai.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 49% more expensive than in Skudai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Skudai is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.75 MYR 15.21

-11.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 631.0K

$22.01 MYR 89.3

62.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.2K

$4.88 MYR 19.79

15.37%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.87 MYR 11.64

-1.74%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.84 MYR 3.42

108.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.42 MYR 1.70

90.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$3.43 MYR 13.90

-11.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.84 MYR 23.70

-26.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.75 MYR 7.12

-8.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 40.0K

$1.03 MYR 4.18

120.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.50 MYR 6.07

-22.00%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.70 MYR 6.89

27.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.6K

$9.64 MYR 39.10

82.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$3.22 MYR 13.07

25.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.6K

$9.92 MYR 40.23

22.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.35 MYR 13.58

8.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.74 MYR 7.08

-5.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.79 MYR 11.33

-17.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.64 MYR 6.66

19.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.42 MYR 5.78

29.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.8K

$1.75 MYR 7.11

35.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.32 MYR 5.37

-20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,564

$0.54 MYR 2.21

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.41 MYR 17.91

-47.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.5K

$14.26 MYR 57.9

61.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$2.69 MYR 10.90

-13.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$3.03 MYR 12.28

1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,366

$0.76 MYR 3.10

-67.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$12.44 MYR 50.5

-24.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,635

$1.23 MYR 4.99

-60.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,352

$0.39 MYR 1.57

20.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.7K

$9.39 MYR 38.11

-40.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.73 MYR 2.95

10.96%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.5M

$42.7K MYR 173.1K

-41.39%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.2M

$33.1K MYR 134.2K

-6.08%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$49.43 MYR 201

67.35%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.3K

$8.43 MYR 34.20

-23.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 331.0K

$26.70 MYR 108

-29.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 973.0K

$41.50 MYR 168

33.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.8K

$6.56 MYR 26.60

177.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.08 MYR 20.59

-15.35%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$162 MYR 657

205.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$4,558 MYR 18.5K

29.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 815.2K

$52.9 MYR 214

-12.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.9K

$16.99 MYR 68.9

114.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$79.7 MYR 323

1.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$41.41 MYR 168

90.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$427 MYR 1,732

161.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$334 MYR 1,354

107.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$692 MYR 2,808

425.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.2M

$497 MYR 2,014

244.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,062 MYR 8,366

33.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,140 MYR 4,626

101.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.06

239.41%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Skudai: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $427 in Skudai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $22.00 in Skudai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $230 per month, with Skudai 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 Skudai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Skudai differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $928 including rent). Skudai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,067 in Ubud, Bali and $1,391 in Skudai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $427 in Skudai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $928 in Skudai – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Skudai runs roughly 32% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $928 in Skudai versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Skudai but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Skudai 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 Skudai 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 Skudai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.