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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $870 in Kigali versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,361 in Kigali versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,852 in Kigali versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Kigali costs roughly 37% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Kigali is 37% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 RWF 4,049

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

-17.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.30 RWF 44.4K

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

-15.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.73 RWF 9,869

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

19.54%

Cappuccino

$2.48 RWF 3,632

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

-12.06%

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

$0.75 RWF 1,096

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.52 RWF 769

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

-35.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 RWF 1,456

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

-67.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.43 RWF 3,560

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-43.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 RWF 1,170

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

-50.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.03 RWF 1,510

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-54.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 RWF 1,916

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

11.97%

Eggs

$1.66 RWF 2,433

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

-23.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.17 RWF 6,116

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-76.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.38 RWF 6,419

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

8.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.48 RWF 6,565

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-63.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.36 RWF 3,460

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-34.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.90 RWF 1,322

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

-45.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 RWF 2,262

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

-33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.03 RWF 1,513

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

-47.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.52 RWF 756

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-71.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 RWF 1,154

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-66.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 RWF 1,029

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 RWF 1,152

$0.54 Rp 9,560

46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 RWF 3,002

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

-10.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.05 RWF 14.7K

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-56.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 RWF 1,369

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-60.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 RWF 2,294

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

-49.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 RWF 518

$0.25 Rp 4,365

40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.87 RWF 37.9K

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

174.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 RWF 4,089

$0.49 Rp 8,631

469.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 RWF 3,029

$0.47 Rp 8,349

338.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 RWF 4,891

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

-40.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.72 RWF 2,523

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

112.35%

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

$25.7K RWF 37.7M

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

2.66%

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

$30.1K RWF 44.1M

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

-3.25%

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

$84.1 RWF 123.3K

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

1.61%

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

$7.20 RWF 10.6K

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

10.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.98 RWF 30.8K

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

11.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.94 RWF 39.5K

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-51.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.35 RWF 6,385

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

-76.11%

Cinema Ticket

$3.44 RWF 5,041

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-20.00%

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

$113 RWF 165.2K

$494 Rp 8.7M

-77.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,432 RWF 13.8M

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

59.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.09 RWF 25.1K

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

-63.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$15.57 RWF 22.8K

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

-57.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$21.86 RWF 32.1K

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

-72.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$33.79 RWF 49.6K

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

-57.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 RWF 974.2K

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-40.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$427 RWF 627.1K

$693 Rp 12.2M

-38.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,418 RWF 2.1M

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-61.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$868 RWF 1.3M

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-49.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,400 RWF 5.0M

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

23.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,057 RWF 4.5M

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

33.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$280 RWF 410.1K

$167 Rp 2.9M

67.29%

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 Kigali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $664 in Kigali and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kigali pays 67% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $30.00 in Kigali vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $150 vs $294 per month, with Kigali 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

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

Kigali wins on cost – living expenses run 58% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kigali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 67% higher in Kigali, 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: $664 in Kigali versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 96% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kigali – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $870 in Kigali versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kigali but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kigali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Kigali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $870 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Kigali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Kigali 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 Kigali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.