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: $596 in Mogadishu versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $925 in Mogadishu versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,253 in Mogadishu versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Mogadishu costs roughly 58% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Mogadishu is 56% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 SOS 1,930

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

-4.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.86 SOS 10.1K

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

-45.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.41 SOS 2,506

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

-10.91%

Cappuccino

$1.48 SOS 841

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

-45.39%

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

$0.48 SOS 271

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

-64.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 SOS 189

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-52.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.93 SOS 2,233

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

34.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$14.97 SOS 8,505

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

278.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 SOS 822

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

-19.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 SOS 764

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

-46.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 SOS 510

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

-22.41%

Eggs

$1.90 SOS 1,082

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-22.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.02 SOS 2,851

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

-65.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 SOS 2,227

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

-9.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.95 SOS 2,813

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

-59.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.33 SOS 1,891

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

-13.28%

Banana (1kg)

$0.99 SOS 560

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

-36.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 SOS 1,836

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

14.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 SOS 772

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

-41.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 SOS 701

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

-35.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 SOS 858

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

-31.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.36 SOS 774

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

34.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 SOS 295

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.22 SOS 691

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

-63.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 SOS 1,148

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

-27.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 SOS 273

$0.27 Rp 4,819

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.69 SOS 11.2K

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

145.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 SOS 582

$0.46 Rp 8,181

121.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 SOS 347

$0.45 Rp 8,068

35.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.54 SOS 3,714

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

7.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 SOS 571

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

27.85%

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

$7,566 SOS 4.3M

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

-71.07%

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

$6,238 SOS 3.5M

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

-80.58%

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

$84.1 SOS 47.8K

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

5.20%

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

$5.12 SOS 2,909

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

26.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$58.3 SOS 33.1K

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

147.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.42 SOS 17.8K

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-68.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.54 SOS 5,988

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

58.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

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

$50.4 SOS 28.7K

$304 Rp 5.4M

-83.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$571 SOS 324.3K

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

-91.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$17.51 SOS 9,948

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

-68.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.48 SOS 13.9K

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

-36.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$26.72 SOS 15.2K

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-69.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 SOS 34.0K

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-23.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$158 SOS 89.7K

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-84.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$68.7 SOS 39.0K

$675 Rp 12.1M

-89.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 SOS 264.4K

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

-86.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 SOS 103.6K

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

-91.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,232 SOS 1.8M

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

13.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,439 SOS 1.4M

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

7.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$260 SOS 147.7K

$165 Rp 3.0M

57.36%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $158 in Mogadishu and $1,006 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $159 vs $302 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 138% 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.

Mogadishu pays 57% 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: $158 in Mogadishu versus $1,006 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $596 per month in Mogadishu versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 138% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $596 in Mogadishu versus $1,419 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 $596 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 138% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.