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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $600 in Mogadishu versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $944 in Mogadishu versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,289 in Mogadishu versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Mogadishu costs roughly 57% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mogadishu is 55% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.55 SOS 2,016

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

2.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.03 SOS 10.2K

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

-44.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.38 SOS 2,487

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

-9.50%

Cappuccino

$1.47 SOS 835

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

-46.55%

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

$0.49 SOS 278

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-64.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 SOS 187

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

-56.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.04 SOS 2,293

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

35.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$15.09 SOS 8,570

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

291.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SOS 822

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 SOS 768

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

-45.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 SOS 528

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

-20.51%

Eggs

$1.91 SOS 1,087

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

-21.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.04 SOS 2,865

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

-65.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 SOS 2,305

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

-6.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.01 SOS 2,847

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

-58.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.47 SOS 1,972

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

-6.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 SOS 551

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

-40.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SOS 1,834

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

17.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 SOS 772

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

-39.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.19 SOS 676

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

-38.02%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SOS 860

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

-33.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 SOS 762

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

26.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 SOS 273

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.21 SOS 688

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

-63.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.99 SOS 1,128

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

-28.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SOS 274

$0.27 Rp 4,765

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.18 SOS 11.5K

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

148.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 SOS 575

$0.48 Rp 8,636

110.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.58 SOS 330

$0.42 Rp 7,511

38.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.42 SOS 3,646

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

3.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 SOS 579

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

25.93%

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

$7,519 SOS 4.3M

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

-71.75%

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

$6,136 SOS 3.5M

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

-80.94%

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

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

7.68%

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

$5.04 SOS 2,860

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

23.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.0 SOS 32.4K

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

134.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.90 SOS 17.6K

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-68.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.41 SOS 5,912

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

64.20%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

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

$49.70 SOS 28.2K

$305 Rp 5.5M

-83.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$577 SOS 327.5K

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

-91.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.37 SOS 9,864

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

-67.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.39 SOS 13.9K

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

-35.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.34 SOS 15.0K

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-69.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.3 SOS 34.3K

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-20.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 SOS 89.5K

$992 Rp 17.7M

-84.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.7 SOS 37.9K

$673 Rp 12.0M

-90.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 SOS 264.9K

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

-86.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$177 SOS 100.3K

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

-91.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,226 SOS 1.8M

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

15.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,405 SOS 1.4M

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

7.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$262 SOS 148.6K

$167 Rp 3.0M

56.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-39.76%

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

Last update for Mogadishu: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Mogadishu and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mogadishu pays 57% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Mogadishu vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $160 vs $297 per month, with Mogadishu 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

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

Mogadishu wins on cost – living expenses run 135% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Mogadishu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 57% higher in Mogadishu, 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: $158 in Mogadishu versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Mogadishu – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $600 per month in Mogadishu versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 135% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $600 in Mogadishu versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Mogadishu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Mogadishu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Mogadishu delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $600 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Mogadishu hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Mogadishu 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 Mogadishu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 135% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.