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: $1,568 in Busan versus $1,402 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,485 in Busan versus $2,371 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,402 in Busan versus $3,340 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Busan is roughly 12% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Busan 16% above, Ubud, Bali 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.44 ₩10.1K

$3.44 Rp 61.6K

116.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.61 ₩64.6K

$35.78 Rp 640.9K

33.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 ₩8,710

$5.47 Rp 98.0K

17.37%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ₩4,826

$2.67 Rp 47.9K

33.33%

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

$1.82 ₩2,473

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

0.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ₩1,911

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

76.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.66 ₩4,972

$2.89 Rp 51.8K

26.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 ₩5,521

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

-5.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 ₩3,143

$1.52 Rp 27.2K

52.63%

White Bread (500g)

$3.07 ₩4,170

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

34.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.99 ₩4,053

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

157.76%

Eggs

$2.53 ₩3,427

$2.08 Rp 37.2K

21.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.61 ₩14.4K

$17.53 Rp 314.0K

-39.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.10 ₩13.7K

$3.95 Rp 70.8K

155.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.30 ₩33.0K

$12.22 Rp 218.8K

98.85%

Apples (1kg)

$10.75 ₩14.6K

$3.55 Rp 63.6K

202.82%

Banana (1kg)

$3.48 ₩4,715

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

124.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.91 ₩10.7K

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

239.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.80 ₩7,868

$1.93 Rp 34.6K

200.52%

Potato (1kg)

$5.94 ₩8,058

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

226.37%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 ₩4,448

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

37.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 ₩3,741

$1.03 Rp 18.4K

167.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 ₩1,738

$0.53 Rp 9,460

141.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 ₩4,468

$2.20 Rp 39.4K

49.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.51 ₩25.1K

$22.44 Rp 402.0K

-17.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 ₩3,094

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

-2.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 ₩4,508

$3.00 Rp 53.8K

10.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.10 ₩1,496

$0.27 Rp 4,866

307.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.7 ₩78.3K

$9.04 Rp 161.9K

538.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 ₩4,826

$0.47 Rp 8,506

657.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.76 ₩1,026

$0.46 Rp 8,328

65.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.08 ₩21.8K

$5.71 Rp 102.3K

181.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ₩1,825

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

68.75%

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

$28.2K ₩38.3M

$24.0K Rp 429.6M

17.69%

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

$32.1K ₩43.6M

$30.9K Rp 554.2M

3.92%

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

$198 ₩269.1K

$83.1 Rp 1.5M

138.79%

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

$35.44 ₩48.1K

$6.48 Rp 116.1K

446.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.96 ₩35.2K

$18.96 Rp 339.6K

36.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ₩83.4K

$55.3 Rp 989.7K

11.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 ₩12.8K

$18.30 Rp 327.8K

-48.58%

Cinema Ticket

$11.49 ₩15.6K

$4.49 Rp 80.5K

155.90%

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

$622 ₩843.9K

$492 Rp 8.8M

26.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.1K ₩28.7M

$5,798 Rp 103.9M

264.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$100 ₩136.1K

$46.22 Rp 827.9K

117.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.7 ₩87.8K

$35.68 Rp 639.1K

81.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 ₩125.4K

$79.6 Rp 1.4M

16.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 ₩165.3K

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

52.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$694 ₩942.0K

$1,119 Rp 20.0M

-37.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$350 ₩474.8K

$685 Rp 12.3M

-48.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 ₩1.8M

$3,605 Rp 64.6M

-64.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$689 ₩935.1K

$1,711 Rp 30.6M

-59.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.0K ₩13.6M

$2,734 Rp 49.0M

266.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,343 ₩8.6M

$2,300 Rp 41.2M

175.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,708 ₩3.7M

$171 Rp 3.1M

1484.90%

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: September 20, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $694 in Busan and $1,119 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Busan pays 1485% 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: $48.00 in Busan vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $472 vs $289 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 12% 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 1485% 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: $694 in Busan versus $1,119 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 538% less than in Busan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $622 in Busan versus $492 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,402 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,568 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 $1,402 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 12% less than in Busan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.