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: $418 in Bosaso versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $684 in Bosaso versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $951 in Bosaso versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Bosaso costs roughly 70% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bosaso is 69% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.98 SOS 1,123

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

-42.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$10.07 SOS 5,720

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

-68.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.85 SOS 2,757

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

0.21%

Cappuccino

$1.23 SOS 701

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

-55.27%

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

$0.98 SOS 558

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-28.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 SOS 286

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.57 SOS 1,461

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

47.70%

White Bread (500g)

$0.98 SOS 556

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-60.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 SOS 581

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

-12.82%

Eggs

$1.84 SOS 1,047

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

-24.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.96 SOS 3,384

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-58.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.60 SOS 3,747

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

51.72%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.38 SOS 3,054

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

-55.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 SOS 2,019

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

-4.57%

Banana (1kg)

$3.49 SOS 1,982

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

114.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 SOS 1,729

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

10.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 SOS 1,118

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

-12.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.02 SOS 1,146

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

5.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 SOS 555

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

-57.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.61 SOS 917

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

123.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 SOS 177

$0.27 Rp 4,778

14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 SOS 831

$0.48 Rp 8,659

204.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 SOS 351

$0.42 Rp 7,532

47.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 SOS 1,681

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

-52.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 SOS 579

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

25.93%

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

$3,997 SOS 2.3M

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

-84.98%

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

$8,976 SOS 5.1M

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-72.11%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

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

$9.98 SOS 5,668

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

145.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.46 SOS 17.9K

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

29.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$10.82 SOS 6,145

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

-80.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.24 SOS 8,657

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

-59.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$12.89 SOS 7,324

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-85.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.90 SOS 8,464

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-80.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$124 SOS 70.2K

$992 Rp 17.8M

-87.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$83.5 SOS 47.4K

$673 Rp 12.1M

-87.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$199 SOS 112.8K

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-94.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 SOS 106.3K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-90.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$29.7K SOS 16.9M

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

960.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$299 SOS 169.9K

$167 Rp 3.0M

79.16%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $124 in Bosaso and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bosaso pays 79% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $202 vs $297 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 237% in total monthly costs ($418 vs $1,408 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 79% 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: $124 in Bosaso versus $992 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $418 per month in Bosaso versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 237% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $418 in Bosaso versus $1,408 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 237% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.