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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $408 in Bosaso versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $677 in Bosaso versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $946 in Bosaso versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Bosaso costs roughly 71% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bosaso is 70% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.95 SOS 1,105

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

-45.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.15 SOS 5,766

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-68.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 SOS 2,817

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

0.20%

Cappuccino

$1.22 SOS 695

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-54.98%

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

$0.98 SOS 558

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-26.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.51 SOS 288

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-27.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.45 SOS 1,393

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

35.36%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 SOS 560

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-60.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 SOS 553

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

-16.38%

Eggs

$1.83 SOS 1,037

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-25.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.08 SOS 3,451

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-58.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.38 SOS 3,623

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

47.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.55 SOS 3,151

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-54.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 SOS 1,962

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-10.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.58 SOS 2,036

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

129.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 SOS 1,727

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

7.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 SOS 1,113

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-15.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 SOS 1,118

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

3.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 SOS 584

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-53.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 SOS 961

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 SOS 162

$0.27 Rp 4,800

7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 SOS 831

$0.46 Rp 8,150

217.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 SOS 332

$0.45 Rp 8,037

28.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 SOS 1,681

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

-51.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 SOS 579

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

29.11%

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

$4,068 SOS 2.3M

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

-84.44%

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

$9,161 SOS 5.2M

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-71.48%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

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

$10.08 SOS 5,723

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

148.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.93 SOS 18.1K

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

35.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.16 SOS 6,340

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-79.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.77 SOS 8,388

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

-61.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$13.07 SOS 7,426

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-85.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.96 SOS 8,496

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-80.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$127 SOS 72.1K

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-87.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

$675 Rp 12.1M

-87.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$200 SOS 113.4K

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-94.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 SOS 109.6K

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-90.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.7K SOS 16.9M

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

944.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$303 SOS 172.2K

$165 Rp 3.0M

83.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.57

13.28

-35.47%

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

Last update for Bosaso: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $127 in Bosaso and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bosaso pays 83% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $10.00 in Bosaso vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $201 vs $302 per month, with Bosaso cheaper across the board.

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

Bosaso vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bosaso and Ubud, Bali differ by about 248% in total monthly costs ($408 vs $1,419 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bosaso pays 83% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $127 in Bosaso versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bosaso – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $408 per month in Bosaso versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 248% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $408 in Bosaso versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bosaso but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Bosaso the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bosaso and Ubud, Bali 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 Bosaso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 248% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.