Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Xai-Xai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Xai-Xai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $717 in Xai-Xai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,132 in Xai-Xai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,548 in Xai-Xai.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 98% more expensive than Xai-Xai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Xai-Xai is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$9.28 MZN 587

-61.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$49.66 MZN 3,141

-34.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$8.56 MZN 542

-42.17%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$2.12 MZN 134

27.83%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$0.77 MZN 48.77

74.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.54 MZN 33.94

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$1.35 MZN 85.6

116.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$1.52 MZN 96.0

160.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.53 MZN 96.5

18.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.09 MZN 69.1

131.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.62 MZN 102

-28.40%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$2.33 MZN 148

5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$15.24 MZN 964

-3.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$5.11 MZN 323

-15.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$5.22 MZN 330

132.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$1.92 MZN 122

100.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$0.93 MZN 59.0

67.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$1.36 MZN 85.9

108.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$0.94 MZN 59.2

147.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$0.94 MZN 59.5

103.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$0.72 MZN 45.79

205.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$0.91 MZN 57.8

10.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.75 MZN 47.31

4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$2.65 MZN 167

25.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$8.97 MZN 567

164.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$0.97 MZN 61.6

187.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$1.44 MZN 91.2

98.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

$1.55 MZN 97.9

-70.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$2.90 MZN 183

-84.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$24.50 MZN 1,550

-75.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.32 MZN 83.7

-40.15%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$34.6K MZN 2.2M

-24.43%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

$20.1K MZN 1.3M

59.42%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$91.2 MZN 5,770

-12.38%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$14.36 MZN 908

-71.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$107 MZN 6,788

-78.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$7.98 MZN 505

-47.99%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$179 MZN 11.3K

69.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$5,823 MZN 368.3K

13.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$48.15 MZN 3,046

15.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$61.4 MZN 3,884

-37.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$84.3 MZN 5,332

5.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$79.4 MZN 5,025

-1.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

24.33

-45.42%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Xai-Xai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $50.0 in Xai-Xai. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $197, with Xai-Xai cheaper for home cooking.

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 Xai-Xai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Xai-Xai wins on cost – living expenses run 98% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Xai-Xai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,129 in Ubud, Bali and $1,075 in Xai-Xai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $717 in Xai-Xai – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $717 in Xai-Xai versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Xai-Xai but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Xai-Xai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Xai-Xai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $717 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Xai-Xai hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Xai-Xai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Xai-Xai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.