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: $1,397 in Ubud, Bali versus $828 in Skudai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,588 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,256 in Skudai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,778 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,683 in Skudai.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 69% more expensive than in Skudai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Skudai is 38% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 Rp 61.5K

$3.49 MYR 14.29

-1.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 Rp 573.3K

$18.56 MYR 75.9

72.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 Rp 90.6K

$4.78 MYR 19.57

5.65%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.7K

$2.99 MYR 12.21

-9.36%

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

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

$0.71 MYR 2.91

95.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$0.39 MYR 1.61

89.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 51.9K

$3.45 MYR 14.09

-16.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$5.02 MYR 20.53

-24.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.87 MYR 7.63

-4.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

$0.95 MYR 3.87

164.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$1.31 MYR 5.34

-7.63%

Eggs

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

$1.89 MYR 7.72

25.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 Rp 258.8K

$10.60 MYR 43.34

36.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 Rp 74.4K

$3.44 MYR 14.08

20.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 Rp 217.3K

$8.20 MYR 33.52

47.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 Rp 67.6K

$2.77 MYR 11.35

36.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.52 MYR 6.23

7.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

$2.48 MYR 10.14

9.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$1.27 MYR 5.17

77.95%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.5K

$1.17 MYR 4.80

64.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

$1.38 MYR 5.65

58.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.94 MYR 3.84

8.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

$0.52 MYR 2.15

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 57.1K

$4.33 MYR 17.70

-26.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.84 Rp 427.5K

$14.16 MYR 57.9

68.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

$2.73 MYR 11.18

1.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.91 MYR 11.91

-5.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,794

$0.73 MYR 2.98

-63.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 Rp 147.0K

$11.85 MYR 48.46

-30.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,668

$1.02 MYR 4.19

-52.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,557

$0.99 MYR 4.04

-57.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 Rp 108.1K

$9.40 MYR 38.44

-35.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.50 MYR 2.03

64.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 476.4M

$31.3K MYR 127.9K

-15.09%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.6M

$27.6K MYR 112.8K

16.70%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$41.03 MYR 168

90.71%

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

$3.91 Rp 70.2K

$8.90 MYR 36.42

-56.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 Rp 428.9K

$23.17 MYR 94.8

3.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$36.67 MYR 150

162.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 117.0K

$5.74 MYR 23.46

13.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.0K

$4.83 MYR 19.74

-16.98%

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

$303 Rp 5.4M

$187 MYR 765

61.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,551 Rp 117.5M

$6,839 MYR 28.0K

-4.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 Rp 992.0K

$48.19 MYR 197

14.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 Rp 687.3K

$18.56 MYR 75.9

106.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

$58.2 MYR 238

52.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$47.25 MYR 193

62.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$388 MYR 1,585

154.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 Rp 12.2M

$268 MYR 1,096

154.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,420 Rp 61.3M

$641 MYR 2,621

433.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 Rp 37.2M

$469 MYR 1,920

342.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 Rp 49.5M

$1,945 MYR 7,955

42.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.2M

$1,258 MYR 5,143

78.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Skudai: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $388 in Skudai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $19.00 in Skudai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $218 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 69% in total monthly costs ($1,397 vs $828 including rent). Skudai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,096 in Ubud, Bali and $1,242 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 $388 in Skudai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $828 in Skudai – a 69% 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 $828 in Skudai versus $1,397 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 69% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.