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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $683 in Xai-Xai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,133 in Xai-Xai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,583 in Xai-Xai.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 100% more expensive than in Xai-Xai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Xai-Xai is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$10.08 MZN 638

-65.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$63.7 MZN 4,029

-42.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$7.42 MZN 469

-23.05%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.17 MZN 137

23.04%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$0.87 MZN 55.0

101.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.67 MZN 42.69

29.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.54 MZN 97.6

91.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$2.34 MZN 148

93.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.60 MZN 101

1.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.03 MZN 65.3

126.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.65 MZN 104

-32.73%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$2.49 MZN 157

-11.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$20.69 MZN 1,308

-14.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$5.85 MZN 370

-29.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

$5.67 MZN 358

114.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$2.00 MZN 126

85.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$0.82 MZN 51.7

93.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$1.68 MZN 106

35.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.08 MZN 68.0

80.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.00 MZN 63.3

91.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.81 MZN 51.3

187.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.92 MZN 58.5

9.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$0.85 MZN 53.7

-35.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.77 MZN 175

-19.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$10.28 MZN 650

124.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$0.98 MZN 62.0

146.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$1.34 MZN 84.9

123.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$1.52 MZN 96.2

-68.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$1.15 MZN 72.7

-62.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$24.95 MZN 1,578

-77.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.39 MZN 87.8

-42.45%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$32.2K MZN 2.0M

-22.63%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$22.5K MZN 1.4M

41.12%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$71.3 MZN 4,508

14.30%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$7.61 MZN 482

-14.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$86.7 MZN 5,481

-78.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$7.70 MZN 487

-41.04%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$131 MZN 8,278

267.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

$5,141 MZN 325.2K

11.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$49.88 MZN 3,155

-8.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$55.3 MZN 3,500

-35.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$78.4 MZN 4,956

2.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$79.5 MZN 5,028

-1.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-44.88%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Xai-Xai: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $64.0 in Xai-Xai. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $225, 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 100% 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 $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $1,024 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 31% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $683 in Xai-Xai – a 100% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $683 in Xai-Xai versus $1,368 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 $683 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 100% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.