Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Addis Ababa Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Addis Ababa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,429 in Addis Ababa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,079 in Addis Ababa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,730 in Addis Ababa.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 1% less than in Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Addis Ababa 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

$4.44 ETB 704

-22.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

$35.55 ETB 5,634

-9.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

$6.67 ETB 1,058

-27.44%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

$1.30 ETB 206

111.54%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.63 ETB 100

119.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$0.43 ETB 68.4

74.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

$0.97 ETB 154

208.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

$2.93 ETB 465

31.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.46 ETB 231

19.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

$1.33 ETB 211

84.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$2.15 ETB 341

-45.58%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

$2.40 ETB 380

1.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

$7.12 ETB 1,128

103.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

$13.71 ETB 2,173

-68.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

$13.07 ETB 2,071

-8.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

$6.66 ETB 1,055

-44.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$1.04 ETB 165

56.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

$2.19 ETB 348

25.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

$0.98 ETB 155

128.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

$0.63 ETB 99.9

204.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

$1.91 ETB 303

19.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$0.66 ETB 105

60.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.68 ETB 108

5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

$3.97 ETB 629

-17.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

$5.68 ETB 901

308.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

$1.04 ETB 164

167.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

$1.83 ETB 290

49.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,765

$0.44 ETB 69.8

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

$12.19 ETB 1,932

-33.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,636

$1.43 ETB 226

-66.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,511

$0.29 ETB 46.37

44.83%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

$2.04 ETB 323

204.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.25 ETB 198

-35.20%

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

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

$55.6K ETB 8.8M

-52.14%

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

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

$54.3K ETB 8.6M

-40.73%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$163 ETB 25.8K

-51.81%

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

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

$12.23 ETB 1,938

-66.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

$129 ETB 20.5K

-81.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$69.4 ETB 11.0K

42.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

$36.29 ETB 5,752

-82.53%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

$5.82 ETB 923

-31.44%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$80.5 ETB 12.8K

278.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

$40.0K ETB 6.3M

-83.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

$47.75 ETB 7,568

13.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

$74.4 ETB 11.8K

-49.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$91.4 ETB 14.5K

-5.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$116 ETB 18.4K

-34.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.7M

$732 ETB 116.0K

35.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.0M

$511 ETB 81.1K

31.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

$1,816 ETB 287.9K

85.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

$885 ETB 140.3K

131.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

$1,969 ETB 312.1K

42.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

$992 ETB 157.2K

124.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$200 ETB 31.7K

-16.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-21.88%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Addis Ababa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $732 in Addis Ababa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Addis Ababa pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $36.00 in Addis Ababa. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $265, with Addis Ababa cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Ubud, Bali and Addis Ababa differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $1,429 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Addis Ababa. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $732 in Addis Ababa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,429 in Addis Ababa – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 50% less than in Addis Ababa. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,429 in Addis Ababa, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Addis Ababa. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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, Ubud, Bali and Addis Ababa 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Addis Ababa. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.