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: $739 in Cusco versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,164 in Cusco versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,589 in Cusco versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Cusco costs roughly 47% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cusco is 45% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 PEN 9.24

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

-20.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.05 PEN 95.1

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

-13.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.64 PEN 19.11

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

16.53%

Cappuccino

$2.00 PEN 6.78

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

-27.27%

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

$1.23 PEN 4.16

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-10.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 PEN 2.48

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

-2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.23 PEN 7.57

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

-25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 PEN 14.55

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

11.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 PEN 4.90

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.88 PEN 9.78

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

17.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.27 PEN 4.31

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

8.55%

Eggs

$3.80 PEN 12.89

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

56.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.64 PEN 15.74

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

-68.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.82 PEN 16.33

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

10.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 PEN 22.97

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

-43.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.45 PEN 8.31

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

-34.14%

Banana (1kg)

$0.72 PEN 2.45

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

-55.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.32 PEN 4.49

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

-51.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.88 PEN 3.00

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

-60.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.00 PEN 3.38

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

-47.92%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 PEN 3.34

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

-56.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 PEN 2.19

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

-38.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 PEN 2.36

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-2.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.75 PEN 16.08

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

44.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 PEN 19.76

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

-74.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 PEN 6.45

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

-31.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 PEN 10.71

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

15.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 PEN 0.99

$0.27 Rp 4,765

7.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 PEN 5.56

$0.48 Rp 8,636

241.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 PEN 5.64

$0.42 Rp 7,511

295.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 PEN 9.46

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

-55.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 PEN 5.06

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

83.95%

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

$19.1K PEN 64.8K

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

-28.16%

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

$21.9K PEN 74.2K

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

-32.01%

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

$33.89 PEN 115

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-56.75%

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

$14.14 PEN 47.92

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

247.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.07 PEN 105

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

27.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.62 PEN 104

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-68.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

Cinema Ticket

$5.00 PEN 16.94

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

25.31%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.06 PEN 122

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

-33.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.00 PEN 98.3

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

-23.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$61.9 PEN 210

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-28.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.3 PEN 245

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-5.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$303 PEN 1,028

$992 Rp 17.7M

-69.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$247 PEN 838

$673 Rp 12.0M

-63.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$588 PEN 1,993

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

-82.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$424 PEN 1,436

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

-79.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,891 PEN 13.2K

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

38.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,798 PEN 6,096

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

-19.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$427 PEN 1,448

$167 Rp 3.0M

155.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-17.17%

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

Last update for Cusco: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $303 in Cusco and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cusco pays 156% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Cusco vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $297 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 90% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 156% 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: $303 in Cusco versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% 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 $28.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $739 in Cusco versus $1,408 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 90% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.