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: $316 in Bosaso versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $488 in Bosaso versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $659 in Bosaso versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Bosaso costs roughly 77% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bosaso is 77% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.02 SOS 1,150

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

-40.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 SOS 2,913

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

-7.07%

Cappuccino

$1.52 SOS 866

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

-42.42%

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

$1.02 SOS 577

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

-38.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 SOS 386

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

-11.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$3.08 SOS 1,751

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

98.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.38 SOS 216

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

-66.37%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 SOS 1,717

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

-21.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.11 SOS 2,336

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

-67.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 SOS 1,126

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

-45.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.93 SOS 1,665

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

87.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 SOS 845

$0.55 Rp 9,854

170.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.02 SOS 580

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

-54.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 SOS 165

$0.27 Rp 4,839

7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.70 SOS 966

$0.48 Rp 8,554

254.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 SOS 532

$0.45 Rp 7,924

108.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 SOS 1,445

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

-55.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 SOS 494

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

14.47%

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

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

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

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

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

$9.87 SOS 5,605

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

52.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.21 SOS 18.3K

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

69.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.95 SOS 6,218

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

-75.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.13 SOS 8,595

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

-58.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$12.91 SOS 7,335

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-84.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.85 SOS 8,436

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-81.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$126 SOS 71.5K

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

-88.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$85.3 SOS 48.5K

$701 Rp 12.5M

-87.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 SOS 114.6K

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

-94.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 SOS 110.0K

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

-89.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.9K SOS 17.0M

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

959.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$298 SOS 169.5K

$170 Rp 3.0M

75.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-27.43%

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

Last update for Bosaso: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Bosaso and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bosaso pays 76% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 342% in total monthly costs ($316 vs $1,396 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 76% higher in Bosaso, 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: $126 in Bosaso versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 178% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $316 per month in Bosaso versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali – a 342% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $316 in Bosaso versus $1,396 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 342% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.