Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sungai Petani Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sungai Petani

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $883 in Sungai Petani.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,334 in Sungai Petani.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,785 in Sungai Petani.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$3.61 MYR 14.72

-4.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$19.99 MYR 81.6

81.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$4.56 MYR 18.62

25.22%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$1.75 MYR 7.13

52.57%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.77 MYR 3.14

127.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.38 MYR 1.57

128.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$4.26 MYR 17.38

-30.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.00 MYR 12.26

50.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.85 MYR 7.56

-12.43%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.09 MYR 4.44

113.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.75 MYR 7.16

-36.57%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.20 MYR 8.97

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$9.48 MYR 38.68

86.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$4.35 MYR 17.78

-5.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$8.60 MYR 35.09

41.63%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.90 MYR 11.82

27.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.73 MYR 7.08

-8.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.49 MYR 10.15

-8.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.43 MYR 5.83

36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.07 MYR 4.37

78.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.15 MYR 4.71

102.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.10 MYR 4.49

-8.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.58 MYR 2.37

-5.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$4.38 MYR 17.90

-49.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$19.52 MYR 79.7

18.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$3.03 MYR 12.39

-20.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$4.00 MYR 16.33

-25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.77 MYR 3.16

-64.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$12.47 MYR 50.9

-27.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.74 MYR 7.12

-72.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.41 MYR 1.66

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$7.19 MYR 29.34

-21.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.48 MYR 1.97

66.67%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$42.4K MYR 173.0K

-41.13%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$34.4K MYR 140.6K

-7.94%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$36.98 MYR 151

120.28%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$10.10 MYR 41.25

-35.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$19.78 MYR 80.7

-5.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$40.50 MYR 165

40.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$6.49 MYR 26.51

188.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$2.98 MYR 12.16

52.35%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$425 MYR 1,735

13.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$10.9K MYR 44.4K

-47.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$60.2 MYR 246

-24.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$34.80 MYR 142

3.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$74.7 MYR 305

7.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$68.8 MYR 281

14.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$411 MYR 1,679

170.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$309 MYR 1,260

126.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$690 MYR 2,817

427.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$491 MYR 2,005

253.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$2,045 MYR 8,349

36.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$1,136 MYR 4,640

101.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$501 MYR 2,047

-66.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.24

225.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Sungai Petani: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $411 in Sungai Petani. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sungai Petani pays 198% 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 Sungai Petani for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $242 per month, with Sungai Petani 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 Sungai Petani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Sungai Petani differ by about 55% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $883 including rent). Sungai Petani is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 198% lower in Sungai Petani. 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 $411 in Sungai Petani. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $425 in Sungai Petani. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $883 in Sungai Petani versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Sungai Petani but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sungai Petani 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 Sungai Petani 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 Sungai Petani 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.