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 $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $951 in Tawau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,399 in Tawau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,847 in Tawau, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 44% more than Tawau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Tawau is 30% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$3.11 MYR 12.73

10.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$19.83 MYR 81.2

83.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$4.10 MYR 16.78

39.27%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$3.07 MYR 12.56

-13.03%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$1.02 MYR 4.17

71.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.38 MYR 1.57

128.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$2.65 MYR 10.84

11.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$4.36 MYR 17.84

3.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.87 MYR 7.66

-13.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.14 MYR 4.66

104.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.49 MYR 6.11

-25.50%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$2.00 MYR 8.19

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$13.78 MYR 56.4

28.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$4.49 MYR 18.38

-8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

$9.84 MYR 40.29

23.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$2.92 MYR 11.95

27.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.78 MYR 7.30

-10.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$2.17 MYR 8.87

5.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.86 MYR 7.60

4.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.20 MYR 4.90

59.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.02 MYR 4.17

128.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$1.33 MYR 5.44

-24.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$0.56 MYR 2.30

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$4.45 MYR 18.22

-49.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$18.95 MYR 77.6

21.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$2.90 MYR 11.85

-16.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$3.38 MYR 13.85

-11.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

$0.78 MYR 3.18

-65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$11.45 MYR 46.86

-21.57%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$1.19 MYR 4.89

-59.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$0.49 MYR 1.99

-12.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$8.00 MYR 32.73

-29.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.73 MYR 2.98

9.59%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$41.5K MYR 169.9K

-39.90%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$34.2K MYR 140.0K

-7.28%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$51.0 MYR 209

59.79%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$10.52 MYR 43.04

-38.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$28.28 MYR 116

-33.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$42.62 MYR 174

33.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

$7.38 MYR 30.20

153.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$3.62 MYR 14.81

25.41%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$181 MYR 741

165.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

$5,615 MYR 23.0K

1.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$52.0 MYR 213

-12.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$30.14 MYR 123

19.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$92.9 MYR 380

-13.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$66.9 MYR 274

17.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$382 MYR 1,562

191.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$286 MYR 1,170

143.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$743 MYR 3,040

389.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$535 MYR 2,190

224.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$2,277 MYR 9,319

22.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$1,204 MYR 4,930

90.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$416 MYR 1,701

-59.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.2

228.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tawau: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $382 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 147% 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $20.00 in Tawau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $258 – 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 44% more than Tawau, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,427 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 15% 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $20.00 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 $951, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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 $951 versus $1,368 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.