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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $807 in Skudai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,223 in Skudai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,639 in Skudai.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 74% more expensive than Skudai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Skudai is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.7K

$3.53 MYR 14.31

1.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 589.5K

$19.18 MYR 77.8

69.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 88.2K

$4.83 MYR 19.59

0.62%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.8K

$2.97 MYR 12.06

-7.41%

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

$1.32 Rp 24.0K

$0.69 MYR 2.79

91.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

$0.39 MYR 1.59

79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.8K

$3.61 MYR 14.66

-19.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.8K

$5.10 MYR 20.70

-25.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 31.0K

$1.83 MYR 7.42

-6.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

$1.01 MYR 4.10

144.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

$1.25 MYR 5.08

-4.00%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 44.3K

$1.80 MYR 7.29

35.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 260.9K

$10.82 MYR 43.91

32.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 78.1K

$3.44 MYR 13.97

25.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 221.4K

$8.31 MYR 33.72

46.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.8K

$2.69 MYR 10.91

36.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

$1.51 MYR 6.15

2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.5K

$2.58 MYR 10.45

8.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 42.3K

$1.24 MYR 5.04

87.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.7K

$1.18 MYR 4.81

66.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.9K

$1.37 MYR 5.57

68.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.3K

$0.94 MYR 3.81

12.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.52 MYR 2.11

40.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 59.5K

$4.17 MYR 16.90

-21.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 413.4K

$14.43 MYR 58.6

57.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.9K

$2.78 MYR 11.26

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 50.5K

$2.97 MYR 12.07

-6.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,281

$0.68 MYR 2.78

-57.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 146.2K

$11.65 MYR 47.28

-30.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,146

$0.98 MYR 3.99

-54.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,193

$0.98 MYR 3.98

-54.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 113.1K

$9.51 MYR 38.60

-34.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.4K

$0.49 MYR 2.01

73.47%

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

$26.0K Rp 471.2M

$31.5K MYR 128.0K

-17.63%

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

$31.7K Rp 574.1M

$27.8K MYR 112.7K

14.01%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

$41.22 MYR 167

95.90%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.6K

$8.87 MYR 35.98

-54.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 442.9K

$22.56 MYR 91.6

8.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.8M

$36.97 MYR 150

164.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 116.9K

$5.99 MYR 24.30

7.68%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 73.3K

$4.88 MYR 19.82

-17.21%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$189 MYR 766

61.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 120.1M

$6,831 MYR 27.7K

-3.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 983.6K

$48.40 MYR 196

12.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 703.2K

$18.80 MYR 76.3

106.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

$59.5 MYR 241

44.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$47.35 MYR 192

61.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.9M

$387 MYR 1,571

154.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.9M

$267 MYR 1,082

146.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 61.1M

$638 MYR 2,590

427.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.5M

$470 MYR 1,908

339.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.7M

$1,940 MYR 7,872

41.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 40.4M

$1,095 MYR 4,443

103.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.07

226.29%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Skudai: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $387 in Skudai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $19.00 in Skudai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $219 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 74% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $807 including rent). Skudai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,106 in Ubud, Bali and $1,211 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $387 in Skudai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $807 in Skudai – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Skudai runs roughly 45% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $807 in Skudai versus $1,404 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 74% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.