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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,493 in Busan versus $1,380 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,366 in Busan versus $2,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,239 in Busan versus $3,356 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Busan is roughly 8% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 10% above, Ubud, Bali 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.22 ₩10.2K

$3.30 Rp 59.0K

118.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.92 ₩65.1K

$38.28 Rp 684.1K

19.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.38 ₩9,039

$5.48 Rp 98.0K

16.42%

Cappuccino

$3.47 ₩4,921

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

31.94%

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

$1.76 ₩2,490

$1.65 Rp 29.6K

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₩1,853

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

87.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.55 ₩5,026

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

34.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.15 ₩5,882

$4.25 Rp 76.0K

-2.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.14 ₩3,036

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

40.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 ₩4,358

$2.33 Rp 41.6K

31.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,240

$1.07 Rp 19.2K

179.44%

Eggs

$2.59 ₩3,673

$2.07 Rp 37.0K

25.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.29 ₩14.6K

$17.34 Rp 309.9K

-40.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.83 ₩13.9K

$4.06 Rp 72.5K

142.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.80 ₩33.7K

$12.11 Rp 216.4K

96.53%

Apples (1kg)

$10.54 ₩14.9K

$3.70 Rp 66.2K

184.86%

Banana (1kg)

$3.53 ₩5,006

$1.55 Rp 27.7K

127.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.85 ₩11.1K

$2.35 Rp 41.9K

234.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.48 ₩7,768

$1.99 Rp 35.5K

175.38%

Potato (1kg)

$5.48 ₩7,772

$1.89 Rp 33.8K

189.95%

Onion (1kg)

$3.22 ₩4,565

$2.18 Rp 39.0K

47.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 ₩3,818

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

161.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ₩1,704

$0.52 Rp 9,209

130.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₩4,398

$2.29 Rp 41.0K

35.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.81 ₩25.2K

$23.66 Rp 422.8K

-24.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₩3,176

$2.32 Rp 41.5K

-3.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 ₩4,506

$2.77 Rp 49.5K

14.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.12 ₩1,583

$0.25 Rp 4,415

348.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$56.5 ₩80.1K

$8.60 Rp 153.6K

556.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.35 ₩4,750

$0.46 Rp 8,134

628.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.74 ₩1,050

$0.43 Rp 7,671

72.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.72 ₩22.3K

$5.60 Rp 100.0K

180.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ₩1,833

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

61.25%

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

$27.3K ₩38.8M

$24.1K Rp 431.5M

13.26%

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

$32.3K ₩45.8M

$31.6K Rp 564.6M

2.33%

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

$188 ₩266.5K

$81.1 Rp 1.4M

131.85%

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

$33.75 ₩47.8K

$6.51 Rp 116.3K

418.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.78 ₩36.5K

$18.71 Rp 334.3K

37.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.4 ₩82.7K

$55.7 Rp 995.3K

4.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.59 ₩13.6K

$18.19 Rp 325.1K

-47.28%

Cinema Ticket

$11.16 ₩15.8K

$4.34 Rp 77.5K

157.14%

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

$593 ₩840.7K

$478 Rp 8.5M

24.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.2K ₩28.6M

$5,798 Rp 103.6M

248.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$101 ₩142.7K

$46.95 Rp 839.0K

114.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.9 ₩86.3K

$35.69 Rp 637.8K

70.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 ₩126.4K

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

12.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ₩167.0K

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

45.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$680 ₩963.6K

$1,138 Rp 20.3M

-40.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$347 ₩491.3K

$691 Rp 12.4M

-49.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,244 ₩1.8M

$3,595 Rp 64.2M

-65.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 ₩937.1K

$1,712 Rp 30.6M

-61.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,786 ₩13.9M

$2,809 Rp 50.2M

248.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,215 ₩10.2M

$2,295 Rp 41.0M

214.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,661 ₩3.8M

$171 Rp 3.1M

1455.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

13.78

-69.38%

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

Last update for Busan: August 10, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $680 in Busan and $1,138 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 1456% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $46.00 in Busan vs $38.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $460 vs $292 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 8% lower than in Busan. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1456% higher in Busan, 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: $680 in Busan versus $1,138 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 557% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $593 in Busan versus $478 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,380 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,493 in Busan, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Busan. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,380 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Busan 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.