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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $858 in Tawau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,306 in Tawau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,754 in Tawau, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 62% more than Tawau, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Tawau is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.3K

$3.59 MYR 14.67

-0.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 581.4K

$18.61 MYR 76.0

73.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.1K

$4.04 MYR 16.48

24.01%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.8K

$2.26 MYR 9.24

24.78%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.3K

$0.72 MYR 2.93

87.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.36 MYR 1.49

102.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 52.8K

$2.41 MYR 9.83

21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 70.8K

$3.28 MYR 13.41

20.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.0K

$1.53 MYR 6.23

16.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.1K

$1.32 MYR 5.37

85.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.68 MYR 6.87

-31.55%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.4K

$2.06 MYR 8.41

16.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 257.8K

$14.84 MYR 60.6

-3.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.3K

$4.45 MYR 18.18

-5.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 216.9K

$9.15 MYR 37.37

31.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.4K

$2.93 MYR 11.98

24.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.2K

$1.53 MYR 6.23

2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.1K

$2.48 MYR 10.15

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.42 MYR 5.81

57.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.6K

$1.23 MYR 5.04

60.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.0K

$1.28 MYR 5.21

78.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.00 MYR 4.07

5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.52 MYR 2.14

51.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.4K

$4.27 MYR 17.43

-25.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 422.6K

$18.31 MYR 74.8

28.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.1K

$2.76 MYR 11.27

5.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.6K

$2.90 MYR 11.84

-4.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,796

$0.70 MYR 2.84

-61.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 150.5K

$11.94 MYR 48.75

-29.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,138

$1.20 MYR 4.92

-62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,269

$0.99 MYR 4.06

-53.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.2K

$5.98 MYR 24.42

1.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.50 MYR 2.05

72.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.3M

$34.7K MYR 141.6K

-23.33%

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

$32.5K Rp 585.6M

$31.6K MYR 129.2K

2.89%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$44.32 MYR 181

78.29%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.6K

$8.87 MYR 36.23

-53.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 429.0K

$28.77 MYR 117

-17.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$36.32 MYR 148

171.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.3K

$5.78 MYR 23.60

9.86%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.1K

$2.78 MYR 11.36

44.24%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$186 MYR 758

60.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 118.8M

$6,797 MYR 27.8K

-2.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 961.1K

$60.0 MYR 245

-10.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 685.7K

$26.87 MYR 110

41.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$71.9 MYR 294

23.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$50.4 MYR 206

51.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.3M

$392 MYR 1,601

160.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.2M

$272 MYR 1,110

150.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.4M

$649 MYR 2,652

434.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.6M

$468 MYR 1,911

346.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.1M

$2,253 MYR 9,198

21.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.3M

$1,247 MYR 5,092

84.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 2.9M

$420 MYR 1,716

-61.05%

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 28, 2026

Last update for Tawau: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $392 in Tawau. 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 157% higher in Tawau, 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 $19.00 in Tawau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $251 – making Tawau 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 Tawau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 62% more than Tawau, 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 $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,287 in Tawau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 19% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $19.00 in Tawau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tawau, where all-in costs run around $858, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In Tawau 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. Tawau costs $858 versus $1,392 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 Tawau. 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.