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: $907 in Lusaka versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,534 in Lusaka versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,161 in Lusaka versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Lusaka costs roughly 35% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Lusaka is 34% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ZMW 109

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

69.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.91 ZMW 609

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

-17.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.31 ZMW 101

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

-3.80%

Cappuccino

$2.98 ZMW 57.0

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

12.88%

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

$0.82 ZMW 15.73

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

-50.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.47 ZMW 9.02

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-38.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ZMW 25.95

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

-48.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 ZMW 44.68

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

-45.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ZMW 35.53

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ZMW 23.79

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

-43.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 ZMW 41.74

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

93.81%

Eggs

$2.05 ZMW 39.17

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

-1.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.75 ZMW 205

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

-38.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.54 ZMW 125

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

68.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.75 ZMW 129

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

-46.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 ZMW 67.9

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

-1.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.50 ZMW 47.66

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

60.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 ZMW 71.0

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

58.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ZMW 30.34

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

-22.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.74 ZMW 52.3

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

44.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 ZMW 37.63

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

-15.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ZMW 21.91

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

11.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ZMW 15.77

$0.55 Rp 9,809

50.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ZMW 61.4

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

43.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.52 ZMW 201

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

-55.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 ZMW 28.18

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

-35.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 ZMW 47.26

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

-11.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ZMW 19.56

$0.27 Rp 4,816

277.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 ZMW 995

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

501.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 ZMW 51.1

$0.48 Rp 8,515

456.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 ZMW 29.78

$0.45 Rp 7,887

246.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 ZMW 99.9

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

-8.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.58 ZMW 30.13

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

107.89%

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

$7,791 ZMW 148.8K

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

-68.18%

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

$27.7K ZMW 529.1K

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

-13.76%

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

$83.7 ZMW 1,598

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

0.12%

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

$11.07 ZMW 211

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

71.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.7 ZMW 1,083

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

198.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.4 ZMW 1,076

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

0.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.97 ZMW 305

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

-14.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.37 ZMW 122

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

48.83%

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

$147 ZMW 2,802

$487 Rp 8.6M

-69.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ZMW 317.2K

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

183.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$24.76 ZMW 473

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

-45.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.00 ZMW 306

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

-56.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$47.84 ZMW 914

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

-41.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.1 ZMW 1,472

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-4.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$389 ZMW 7,424

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-65.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 ZMW 3,492

$701 Rp 12.4M

-73.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ZMW 21.3K

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

-68.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$596 ZMW 11.4K

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

-66.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,896 ZMW 36.2K

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

-32.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,285 ZMW 100.9K

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

130.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$336 ZMW 6,414

$170 Rp 3.0M

97.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

110.45%

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

Last update for Lusaka: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $389 in Lusaka and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lusaka pays 98% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Lusaka vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $249 vs $293 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 54% in total monthly costs ($907 vs $1,396 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 98% higher in Lusaka, 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: $389 in Lusaka versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $907 per month in Lusaka versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 501% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $907 in Lusaka versus $1,396 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 54% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.