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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $669 in Taiping, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,068 in Taiping, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,757 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,466 in Taiping, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 110% 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

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$1.90 MYR 7.51

80.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$23.20 MYR 91.7

42.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$3.85 MYR 15.21

31.95%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$1.45 MYR 5.73

94.48%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$0.61 MYR 2.41

124.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.23 MYR 0.90

208.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$2.79 MYR 11.02

6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$4.60 MYR 18.18

-15.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.43 MYR 5.66

22.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$0.86 MYR 3.39

193.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$0.58 MYR 2.30

108.62%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$1.36 MYR 5.37

71.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$19.04 MYR 75.2

-23.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$4.52 MYR 17.85

-3.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$7.54 MYR 29.77

59.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$2.75 MYR 10.85

38.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.71 MYR 6.74

-5.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$2.53 MYR 9.98

6.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$1.63 MYR 6.45

36.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.08 MYR 4.27

75.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.05 MYR 4.14

107.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$0.69 MYR 2.71

49.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$0.46 MYR 1.81

67.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$4.17 MYR 16.47

-23.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$18.92 MYR 74.7

22.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$3.79 MYR 14.96

-24.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$5.56 MYR 21.96

-51.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$0.91 MYR 3.60

-68.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

$8.34 MYR 32.93

1.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$1.07 MYR 4.23

-54.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

$0.21 MYR 0.83

114.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$4.37 MYR 17.25

43.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$0.46 MYR 1.83

84.78%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$31.4K MYR 123.8K

-16.89%

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$27.2K MYR 107.6K

15.71%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$75.3 MYR 297

5.92%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$5.06 MYR 19.99

-19.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$26.63 MYR 105

-9.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$17.77 MYR 70.2

441.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

$2.39 MYR 9.42

173.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$4.54 MYR 17.93

-9.03%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

$116 MYR 458

155.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$4,361 MYR 17.2K

52.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$47.97 MYR 189

14.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$29.33 MYR 116

32.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$52.9 MYR 209

69.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$46.61 MYR 184

69.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$116 MYR 458

779.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$116 MYR 458

468.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

$335 MYR 1,322

926.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$264 MYR 1,043

677.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

$1,778 MYR 7,023

67.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

$885 MYR 3,497

167.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

$599 MYR 2,366

-71.27%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Taiping: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $116 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 248% 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 in Ubud, Bali versus $23 in Taiping. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $257 – 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 110% 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,004 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 1% less in Taiping. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $297 per month in Ubud, Bali and $116 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 $669, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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 $669 versus $1,408 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.