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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $375 in Butare versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $602 in Butare versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $828 in Butare versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Butare costs roughly 73% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Butare is 73% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.79 RWF 4,093

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

-16.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.18 RWF 44.3K

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

-15.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.93 RWF 10.2K

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

23.09%

Cappuccino

$2.42 RWF 3,544

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

-14.18%

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

$0.75 RWF 1,104

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 RWF 819

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.04 RWF 1,532

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

-65.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.33 RWF 3,412

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-45.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.33 RWF 482

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

-79.50%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 RWF 1,238

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-63.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 RWF 1,364

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

-20.51%

Eggs

$1.59 RWF 2,326

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

-26.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$1.74 RWF 2,551

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-90.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.35 RWF 3,446

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

-41.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.10 RWF 4,542

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-74.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.08 RWF 3,055

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-42.54%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 RWF 1,352

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

-43.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.12 RWF 1,640

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

-51.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.78 RWF 1,147

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-60.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.40 RWF 584

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-78.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.26 RWF 379

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-89.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.14 RWF 199

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

-86.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 RWF 1,254

$0.54 Rp 9,560

59.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.06 RWF 3,023

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

-10.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.12 RWF 14.8K

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-56.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 RWF 1,489

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-56.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 RWF 2,214

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

-50.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 RWF 3,909

$0.49 Rp 8,631

442.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 RWF 2,918

$0.47 Rp 8,349

323.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.44 RWF 5,044

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

-38.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RWF 2,504

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

111.11%

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

$26.6K RWF 39.0M

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

6.32%

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

$29.7K RWF 43.6M

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

-4.33%

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

$82.7 RWF 121.4K

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

0.01%

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

$7.06 RWF 10.4K

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

8.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$21.13 RWF 31.0K

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

12.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$3.46 RWF 5,077

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-19.53%

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

$113 RWF 165.2K

$494 Rp 8.7M

-77.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,359 RWF 13.7M

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

58.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.40 RWF 25.5K

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

-62.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.51 RWF 22.8K

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

-57.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$22.25 RWF 32.6K

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

-72.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.74 RWF 49.5K

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

-57.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

16.2

13.78

17.56%

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

Last update for Butare: September 5, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $30.00 in Butare vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $113 vs $294 per month, with Butare 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

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

Butare wins on cost – living expenses run 267% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Butare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $563 in Butare and $2,067 in Ubud, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Supermarket bills run roughly 159% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $375 per month in Butare versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali – a 267% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $375 in Butare versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Butare but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Butare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Butare delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $375 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Butare hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Butare 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 Butare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 267% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.