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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $699 in Cusco versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,042 in Cusco versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,385 in Cusco versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Cusco costs roughly 50% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cusco is 49% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.51 PEN 8.43

$3.37 Rp 59.8K

-25.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.88 PEN 70.2

$38.59 Rp 683.8K

-45.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 PEN 21.62

$5.52 Rp 97.8K

16.67%

Cappuccino

$2.23 PEN 7.50

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

-15.53%

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

$0.80 PEN 2.70

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

-52.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 PEN 1.14

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-55.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.03 PEN 6.81

$2.63 Rp 46.7K

-22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 PEN 14.56

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

1.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 PEN 4.48

$1.55 Rp 27.4K

-14.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.37 PEN 7.98

$2.22 Rp 39.4K

6.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 PEN 4.42

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

15.93%

Eggs

$3.61 PEN 12.12

$2.09 Rp 37.0K

72.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.77 PEN 16.02

$17.39 Rp 308.2K

-72.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 PEN 14.67

$3.87 Rp 68.5K

12.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.32 PEN 24.60

$12.55 Rp 222.4K

-41.67%

Apples (1kg)

$2.64 PEN 8.88

$3.62 Rp 64.1K

-27.07%

Banana (1kg)

$0.80 PEN 2.67

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

-48.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 PEN 4.96

$2.35 Rp 41.7K

-37.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 2.94

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

-57.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 PEN 3.56

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

-44.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 PEN 3.63

$2.34 Rp 41.4K

-53.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 PEN 1.83

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

-47.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.71 PEN 2.38

$0.55 Rp 9,830

29.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.9K

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 PEN 20.25

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

-74.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 PEN 6.62

$2.31 Rp 41.0K

-14.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 PEN 14.33

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

52.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 PEN 1.05

$0.27 Rp 4,827

14.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.5K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.83 PEN 6.15

$0.48 Rp 8,533

281.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 PEN 6.32

$0.45 Rp 7,904

317.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 PEN 9.88

$5.72 Rp 101.4K

-48.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 PEN 5.23

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

105.26%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.9M

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

$32.1K Rp 569.3M

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

$29.75 PEN 100.0

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-64.39%

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

$14.73 PEN 49.51

$6.46 Rp 114.4K

128.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$44.70 PEN 150

$18.99 Rp 336.6K

135.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.37 PEN 119

$56.0 Rp 992.0K

-36.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.39 PEN 14.77

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

2.57%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.00 PEN 131

$45.56 Rp 807.4K

-14.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.68 PEN 113

$36.38 Rp 644.7K

-7.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$54.7 PEN 184

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

-33.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.0 PEN 252

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-6.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$151 PEN 509

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

-86.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 PEN 605

$701 Rp 12.4M

-74.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$363 PEN 1,220

$3,537 Rp 62.7M

-89.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$267 PEN 897

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

-84.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,955 PEN 13.3K

$2,826 Rp 50.1M

39.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,776 PEN 5,967

$2,292 Rp 40.6M

-22.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$433 PEN 1,454

$170 Rp 3.0M

154.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Cusco: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $151 in Cusco and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cusco pays 155% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Cusco vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $293 per month, with Cusco 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

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

Cusco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 100% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 155% higher in Cusco, 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: $151 in Cusco 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 54% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cusco – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $699 in Cusco versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cusco but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cusco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cusco is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cusco 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 Cusco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 100% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.