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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $876 in Lusaka versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,489 in Lusaka versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,103 in Lusaka versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Lusaka costs roughly 38% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lusaka is 35% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.11 ZMW 127

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

99.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.96 ZMW 446

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-23.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.63 ZMW 64.8

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

-26.67%

Cappuccino

$2.01 ZMW 35.86

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-25.83%

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

$0.73 ZMW 13.05

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-45.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ZMW 6.04

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-51.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ZMW 17.05

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

-67.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ZMW 32.42

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

-54.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 ZMW 22.53

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-30.39%

White Bread (500g)

$0.74 ZMW 13.16

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-70.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.26

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

36.21%

Eggs

$1.77 ZMW 31.65

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-28.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 ZMW 140

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-46.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.83 ZMW 68.4

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

-11.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.57 ZMW 81.6

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-62.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 44.69

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-34.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ZMW 28.28

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

1.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 ZMW 47.96

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-4.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.17 ZMW 20.91

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-49.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.87 ZMW 33.43

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-2.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 ZMW 24.63

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-37.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ZMW 15.54

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

-13.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ZMW 9.30

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.54 ZMW 45.39

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

-23.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 ZMW 195

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-53.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ZMW 20.24

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-59.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.50 ZMW 26.75

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

-47.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ZMW 17.11

$0.27 Rp 4,800

255.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.24 ZMW 683

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

376.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.79 ZMW 49.72

$0.46 Rp 8,150

506.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ZMW 20.50

$0.45 Rp 8,037

155.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 ZMW 159

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

46.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ZMW 21.29

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

50.63%

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

$7,968 ZMW 142.2K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

-69.53%

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

$28.4K ZMW 506.8K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-11.61%

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

$90.1 ZMW 1,608

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

12.68%

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

$53.6 ZMW 956

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

1219.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$127 ZMW 2,263

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

438.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.11 ZMW 805

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-54.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ZMW 250

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

111.01%

Cinema Ticket

$4.29 ZMW 76.6

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

3.37%

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

$177 ZMW 3,161

$304 Rp 5.4M

-41.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,528 ZMW 170.1K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

44.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$19.25 ZMW 344

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-65.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.27 ZMW 308

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

-54.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.0 ZMW 1,535

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-2.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.7 ZMW 1,316

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-5.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$224 ZMW 4,007

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-77.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$120 ZMW 2,148

$675 Rp 12.1M

-82.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,053 ZMW 18.8K

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-69.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ZMW 10.4K

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-71.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,973 ZMW 35.2K

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

-30.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,281 ZMW 76.4K

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

89.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$296 ZMW 5,286

$165 Rp 3.0M

79.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

88.25%

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

Last update for Lusaka: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $224 in Lusaka and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lusaka pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $25.00 in Lusaka vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $177 vs $302 per month, with Lusaka 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

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

Lusaka and Ubud, Bali differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($876 vs $1,419 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Lusaka pays 79% more on average, 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: $224 in Lusaka versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $876 per month in Lusaka versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 376% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $876 in Lusaka versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lusaka but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Lusaka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Lusaka 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 Lusaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.