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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $753 in Kampala versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,118 in Kampala versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,483 in Kampala versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kampala costs roughly 46% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kampala is 44% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

-20.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.91 UGX 99.5K

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

-16.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.77 UGX 32.4K

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

81.20%

Cappuccino

$2.74 UGX 10.1K

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

-0.36%

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

$0.47 UGX 1,742

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-65.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 UGX 1,153

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-58.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 UGX 5,041

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

-54.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 UGX 10.4K

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

-26.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.71 UGX 2,617

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-59.20%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 UGX 4,629

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-49.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 UGX 4,944

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

14.53%

Eggs

$1.76 UGX 6,501

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

-27.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.34 UGX 16.0K

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-70.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.87 UGX 18.0K

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

11.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.23 UGX 15.6K

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

-64.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.73 UGX 10.1K

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

-26.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 UGX 5,598

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

-7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 UGX 6,126

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

-39.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 UGX 5,827

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

-29.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.64 UGX 6,073

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

-14.58%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 UGX 7,194

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

-14.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 UGX 3,955

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

0.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 UGX 1,973

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-26.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.95 UGX 10.9K

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

-10.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.62 UGX 31.9K

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-62.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 UGX 4,351

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

-57.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 UGX 7,816

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

-22.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.79 UGX 2,937

$0.27 Rp 4,778

192.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.36 UGX 153.0K

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

409.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.55 UGX 2,029

$0.48 Rp 8,659

14.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 UGX 1,037

$0.42 Rp 7,532

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 UGX 15.7K

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

-31.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 UGX 5,285

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

76.54%

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

$8,909 UGX 33.0M

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

-66.52%

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

$8,617 UGX 31.9M

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-73.23%

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

$42.44 UGX 157.0K

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-45.83%

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

$14.53 UGX 53.7K

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

257.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.09 UGX 159.4K

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

77.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.76 UGX 180.4K

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-50.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.42 UGX 27.5K

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

17.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.15 UGX 22.8K

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

54.14%

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

$164 UGX 605.5K

$305 Rp 5.5M

-46.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,247 UGX 15.7M

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

-36.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.31 UGX 64.0K

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

-68.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$14.47 UGX 53.5K

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

-61.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$38.03 UGX 140.7K

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-56.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$46.10 UGX 170.5K

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-39.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 UGX 1.5M

$992 Rp 17.8M

-59.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 UGX 831.5K

$673 Rp 12.1M

-66.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$987 UGX 3.6M

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-70.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$337 UGX 1.2M

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-83.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,253 UGX 4.6M

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

-55.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,001 UGX 3.7M

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

-55.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$192 UGX 710.4K

$167 Rp 3.0M

15.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.8

13.28

56.63%

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

Last update for Kampala: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $402 in Kampala and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kampala pays 15% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in Kampala vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $166 vs $297 per month, with Kampala 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

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

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Clothing & Footwear. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 15% higher in Kampala, 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: $402 in Kampala versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 79% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kampala – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $753 in Kampala versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kampala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kampala 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, Kampala 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 Kampala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.