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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,028 in Harare versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,706 in Harare versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,385 in Harare versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Harare costs roughly 26% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Harare is 25% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Harare
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.95 ZWL 266
$3.37 Rp 59.7K
195.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$40.21 ZWL 1,074
$38.59 Rp 682.4K
4.20%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.92 ZWL 158
$5.52 Rp 97.6K
7.25%
Cappuccino
$3.08 ZWL 82.2
$2.64 Rp 46.8K
16.67%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.93 ZWL 24.85
$1.67 Rp 29.6K
-44.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49 ZWL 12.98
$0.77 Rp 13.6K
-36.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.48 ZWL 39.62
$2.63 Rp 46.6K
-43.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 ZWL 54.7
$4.28 Rp 75.7K
-52.10%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Harare
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.60 ZWL 42.62
$1.55 Rp 27.3K
3.23%
White Bread (500g)
$1.03 ZWL 27.52
$2.22 Rp 39.3K
-53.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.64 ZWL 43.76
$1.13 Rp 19.9K
45.13%
Eggs
$1.87 ZWL 49.85
$2.09 Rp 36.9K
-10.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.97 ZWL 320
$17.39 Rp 307.6K
-31.17%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$5.52 ZWL 148
$3.87 Rp 68.4K
42.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$6.50 ZWL 174
$12.55 Rp 221.9K
-48.21%
Apples (1kg)
$3.15 ZWL 84.3
$3.62 Rp 63.9K
-12.98%
Banana (1kg)
$1.60 ZWL 42.75
$1.56 Rp 27.6K
2.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.02 ZWL 53.9
$2.35 Rp 41.6K
-14.04%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.46 ZWL 38.96
$2.06 Rp 36.4K
-29.13%
Potato (1kg)
$1.73 ZWL 46.35
$1.90 Rp 33.6K
-8.95%
Onion (1kg)
$1.86 ZWL 49.82
$2.34 Rp 41.3K
-20.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.17 ZWL 31.16
$1.03 Rp 18.2K
13.59%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.00 ZWL 26.59
$0.55 Rp 9,809
81.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.96 ZWL 52.5
$2.25 Rp 39.8K
-12.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.88 ZWL 237
$23.81 Rp 421.0K
-62.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.37 ZWL 36.54
$2.31 Rp 40.9K
-40.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 ZWL 51.7
$2.80 Rp 49.5K
-30.71%
🚌 Getting Around
Harare
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.03 ZWL 27.39
$0.27 Rp 4,816
281.48%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$60.3 ZWL 1,611
$8.66 Rp 153.2K
596.07%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.08 ZWL 109
$0.48 Rp 8,515
750.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.05 ZWL 54.9
$0.45 Rp 7,887
355.56%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$4.89 ZWL 131
$5.72 Rp 101.1K
-14.51%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.79 ZWL 47.90
$0.76 Rp 13.4K
135.53%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$22.4K ZWL 599.2K
$24.5K Rp 433.0M
-8.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.4K ZWL 732.1K
$32.1K Rp 568.0M
-14.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Harare
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$54.5 ZWL 1,456
$83.6 Rp 1.5M
-34.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.79 ZWL 582
$6.46 Rp 114.2K
237.31%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$67.5 ZWL 1,803
$18.99 Rp 335.9K
255.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Harare
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$48.78 ZWL 1,303
$56.0 Rp 989.8K
-12.85%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$22.89 ZWL 612
$18.62 Rp 329.2K
22.93%
Cinema Ticket
$10.10 ZWL 270
$4.28 Rp 75.7K
135.98%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Harare
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$471 ZWL 12.6K
$487 Rp 8.6M
-3.13%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$9,024 ZWL 241.1K
$5,856 Rp 103.6M
54.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Harare
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.01 ZWL 642
$45.56 Rp 805.6K
-47.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$20.84 ZWL 557
$36.38 Rp 643.3K
-42.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$38.96 ZWL 1,041
$82.0 Rp 1.4M
-52.46%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$42.36 ZWL 1,132
$80.4 Rp 1.4M
-47.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Harare
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$410 ZWL 10.9K
$1,117 Rp 19.7M
-63.31%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$320 ZWL 8,559
$701 Rp 12.4M
-54.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$823 ZWL 22.0K
$3,537 Rp 62.5M
-76.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$744 ZWL 19.9K
$1,762 Rp 31.2M
-57.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$932 ZWL 24.9K
$2,826 Rp 50.0M
-67.04%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$385 ZWL 10.3K
$2,292 Rp 40.5M
-83.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Harare
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$430 ZWL 11.5K
$170 Rp 3.0M
153.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.69
13.78
-0.65%

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

Last update for Harare: September 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $410 in Harare and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Harare pays 153% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Harare vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $218 vs $293, with Harare cheaper for home cooking.

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
Harare vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Harare?
Harare is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear. The 36% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Harare or Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 153% higher in Harare, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Harare and Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $410 in Harare versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $471 in Harare versus $487 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Harare and in Ubud, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 34% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Harare or in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,028 in Harare versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Harare but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Harare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Harare or Ubud, Bali more family-friendly?
For families, Harare 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.
Which city is safer, Harare or Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Harare 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Harare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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