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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $675 in Taiping, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,069 in Taiping, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,463 in Taiping, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 108% more than Taiping, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Taiping is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.7K

$1.94 MYR 7.86

84.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 589.5K

$23.80 MYR 96.6

36.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 88.2K

$3.68 MYR 14.94

32.07%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.8K

$1.43 MYR 5.81

92.31%

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

$1.32 Rp 24.0K

$0.60 MYR 2.44

120.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

$0.25 MYR 1.02

180.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.8K

$2.77 MYR 11.23

5.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.8K

$4.73 MYR 19.20

-19.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 31.0K

$1.48 MYR 6.01

15.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

$0.86 MYR 3.48

187.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

$0.63 MYR 2.56

90.48%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 44.3K

$1.30 MYR 5.28

87.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 260.9K

$18.71 MYR 75.9

-23.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 78.1K

$4.60 MYR 18.68

-6.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 221.4K

$7.59 MYR 30.80

60.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.8K

$2.64 MYR 10.73

39.39%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

$1.76 MYR 7.15

-11.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.5K

$2.53 MYR 10.28

10.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 42.3K

$1.63 MYR 6.61

42.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.7K

$1.05 MYR 4.25

87.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.9K

$1.00 MYR 4.05

131.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.3K

$0.68 MYR 2.77

55.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.49 MYR 1.97

48.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 59.5K

$4.28 MYR 17.38

-23.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 413.4K

$19.52 MYR 79.2

16.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.9K

$3.87 MYR 15.70

-27.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 50.5K

$5.46 MYR 22.15

-49.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,281

$0.91 MYR 3.70

-68.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 146.2K

$8.43 MYR 34.20

-4.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,146

$1.09 MYR 4.43

-58.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,193

$0.21 MYR 0.85

114.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 113.1K

$4.38 MYR 17.79

42.47%

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

$31.8K MYR 129.2K

-18.40%

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

$31.7K Rp 574.1M

$27.0K MYR 109.5K

17.34%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

$75.4 MYR 306

7.08%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.6K

$5.15 MYR 20.90

-21.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 442.9K

$27.52 MYR 112

-11.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.8M

$17.90 MYR 72.6

445.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 116.9K

$2.33 MYR 9.47

176.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 73.3K

$4.37 MYR 17.73

-7.55%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$119 MYR 484

154.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 120.1M

$4,346 MYR 17.6K

52.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 983.6K

$47.94 MYR 195

13.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 703.2K

$29.54 MYR 120

31.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

$52.7 MYR 214

63.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$47.58 MYR 193

61.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.9M

$119 MYR 484

725.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.9M

$118 MYR 480

455.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 61.1M

$330 MYR 1,340

920.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.5M

$259 MYR 1,051

697.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.7M

$1,976 MYR 8,020

38.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 40.4M

$977 MYR 3,964

128.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 3.0M

$584 MYR 2,370

-72.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.95

236.20%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Taiping: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $119 in Taiping. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 257% higher in Taiping, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $24.00 in Taiping. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $258 – making Taiping the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Taiping: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 108% more than Taiping, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,013 in Taiping. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Taiping, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 5% less in Taiping. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $119 in Taiping. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taiping, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. In Taiping it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Taiping costs $675 versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Taiping. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.