Magelang vs Ubud: Which City Wins for Expats in 2026?
Ubud ranks meaningfully higher on safety. Use our tool below to personalize the estimate based on your income and lifestyle.
Ubud is approximately 3.5x more expensive than Magelang based on cost of living including rent. This makes Magelang a more budget-friendly option for expats considering a move.
Magelang has a FIRE Score of 84/100, indicating its suitability for financial independence and early retirement. The city's safety index is 60, which is relatively safe.
Recommended profile: Magelang is ideal for GeoArbitragers and remote workers looking to maximize savings.
About Magelang
Magelang is a cheap ticket to a quiet Javanese life, with city center one-bedroom rent at $156/mo and a single adult budget tier of $193/mo, but the local average net salary of $175/mo means you are living on outside money or not at all. The expat scene is very few and English is limited, so come for the low costs and the 82/100 overall expat score, not for a built-in social circle. Retirees and digital nomads should note the $2,000/mo income floor on both the KITAS and E33G visas, which is steep for a town where a mid-range dinner for two runs $8.
About Indonesia
Skip this if you need English-speaking doctors or a fast path to citizenship, both weak here. But budget retirees can live well on $429.70/mo excl. rent plus sub-$320 rent, and the $2,000/mo Retirement KITAS is achievable. Best suited for low-cost-focused retirees, not remote workers facing the $387/mo nomad visa threshold.
$2,751/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
About Ubud
Ubud is a bargain for renters who can live on local wages, but the numbers expose the catch: a $168/mo average net salary cannot touch $544/mo city-center rent, so this town runs on foreign income, not local opportunity. The $2,000/mo income floor on both the Indonesia Retirement Visa (KITAS) and the Indonesia Remote Worker Visa (E33G) tells you exactly who Ubud is built for. Internet at 20 Mbps and a 57/100 digital nomad score make remote work possible but not painless, and healthcare rated only Fair is the real long-term risk. Come for the $3 meals and $2 cappuccinos, stay only if you have a first-world paycheck and a high tolerance for humid, monsoon-soaked air.
About Indonesia
Skip this if you need English-speaking doctors or a fast path to citizenship, both weak here. But budget retirees can live well on $429.70/mo excl. rent plus sub-$320 rent, and the $2,000/mo Retirement KITAS is achievable. Best suited for low-cost-focused retirees, not remote workers facing the $387/mo nomad visa threshold.
$2,280/mo
Cost of Living (Without Rent)
Rent Per Month
Attractiveness
City Details
Which visa fits your move?
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| Metric | Magelang | Ubud |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Center) | $156.35 | $544.43 |
| 1BR Apartment (Outside) | $67.01 | $406.81 |
| 3BR Apartment (Center) | $390.88 | $1935.77 |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside) | $167.52 | $1395.99 |
| Safety Index | 60 | 70 |
| Internet Speed | 35Mbps | 20Mbps |
| Walkability Score | N/A | N/A |
Monthly cost by categoryOne person, computed from each city's own average prices
| Category | Magelang | Ubud |
|---|---|---|
| Total (rent included) | $259/mo | $736/mo |
| Excluding rent | $192/mo | $329/mo |
| Rent | $67.00/mo | $407/mo |
| Groceries | $72.00/mo | $113/mo |
| Dining out | $14.00/mo | $28.00/mo |
| Entertainment & lifestyle | $28.00/mo | $83.00/mo |
| Utilities & connectivity | $70.00/mo | $105/mo |
| Transport | $8.00/mo | N/A |
Usage-based estimates from this city's own average prices. A row marked N/A means that city is missing data, so no figure is shown instead of a stale one.
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Magelang vs Ubud -- Frequently Asked Questions
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