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 $1,397 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $673 in Taiping, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,588 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,069 in Taiping, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,778 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,464 in Taiping, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 107% more than Taiping, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Taiping is 50% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.43 Rp 61.6K

$1.85 MYR 7.55

85.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.97 Rp 574.4K

$23.78 MYR 97.2

34.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 Rp 90.8K

$3.66 MYR 14.98

37.98%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.8K

$1.45 MYR 5.93

86.90%

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

$1.39 Rp 25.0K

$0.60 MYR 2.47

131.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

$0.25 MYR 1.03

196.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.89 Rp 52.0K

$2.76 MYR 11.30

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.1K

$4.76 MYR 19.46

-20.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

$1.44 MYR 5.89

24.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.51 Rp 45.0K

$0.79 MYR 3.21

217.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

$0.59 MYR 2.43

105.08%

Eggs

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

$1.36 MYR 5.54

74.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.43 Rp 259.3K

$18.61 MYR 76.1

-22.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.15 Rp 74.6K

$4.35 MYR 17.79

-4.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 Rp 217.7K

$7.56 MYR 30.91

60.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 Rp 67.7K

$2.72 MYR 11.13

38.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.73 MYR 7.07

-5.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$2.41 MYR 9.87

12.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

$1.62 MYR 6.64

39.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.6K

$1.07 MYR 4.39

80.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 39.4K

$1.04 MYR 4.25

110.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.68 MYR 2.77

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.45 MYR 1.85

60.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 57.2K

$4.16 MYR 17.02

-23.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.84 Rp 428.3K

$18.29 MYR 74.8

30.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

$3.87 MYR 15.84

-28.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$5.57 MYR 22.77

-50.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.96 MYR 3.92

-71.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 Rp 147.3K

$8.06 MYR 32.95

1.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,684

$1.08 MYR 4.42

-55.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,571

$0.21 MYR 0.85

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 Rp 108.3K

$4.39 MYR 17.95

37.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.50 MYR 2.05

64.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.3M

$32.0K MYR 131.0K

-17.10%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.6M

$26.7K MYR 109.0K

20.82%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$73.9 MYR 302

5.87%

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

$3.91 Rp 70.3K

$5.21 MYR 21.28

-24.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.91 Rp 429.7K

$27.64 MYR 113

-13.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$17.54 MYR 71.7

448.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 117.3K

$2.40 MYR 9.83

172.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.1K

$4.43 MYR 18.10

-9.48%

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

$303 Rp 5.4M

$119 MYR 488

153.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,551 Rp 117.7M

$4,271 MYR 17.5K

53.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.3 Rp 993.9K

$46.88 MYR 192

17.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.32 Rp 688.6K

$28.91 MYR 118

32.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

$53.3 MYR 218

66.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$47.31 MYR 193

62.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$117 MYR 477

744.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 Rp 12.3M

$116 MYR 475

487.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,420 Rp 61.5M

$331 MYR 1,352

934.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,075 Rp 37.3M

$261 MYR 1,066

695.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,762 Rp 49.6M

$2,091 MYR 8,546

32.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.3M

$1,151 MYR 4,707

94.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$555 MYR 2,268

-69.59%

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: July 22, 2026

Last update for Taiping: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $117 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 229% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $24.00 in Taiping. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $253 – 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 107% 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 $2,096 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,010 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 2% less in Taiping. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $303 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 $673, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,397. 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 $673 versus $1,397 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.