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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,310 in Addis Ababa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,940 in Addis Ababa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,571 in Addis Ababa.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 5% more expensive than in Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Addis Ababa is 5% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.93 ETB 632

-15.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$41.97 ETB 6,747

-14.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$6.40 ETB 1,028

-12.03%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$0.96 ETB 155

193.75%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.63 ETB 102

177.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.69 ETB 110

15.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$0.78 ETB 125

289.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.21 ETB 355

94.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.05 ETB 169

53.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.21 ETB 195

87.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$2.10 ETB 337

-44.29%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.74 ETB 279

24.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$7.32 ETB 1,177

140.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$10.07 ETB 1,618

-59.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$9.13 ETB 1,467

33.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$5.30 ETB 852

-31.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.68 ETB 110

141.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.15 ETB 346

7.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$0.66 ETB 106

196.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.49 ETB 79.5

275.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.10 ETB 176

115.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.68 ETB 110

54.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.56 ETB 90.8

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$7.82 ETB 1,256

-70.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$5.52 ETB 887

318.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.72 ETB 116

225.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.21 ETB 195

153.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.51 ETB 82.5

-50.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$21.23 ETB 3,413

-55.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.34 ETB 216

-63.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.29 ETB 47.08

62.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$2.01 ETB 323

178.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.94 ETB 152

-13.83%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$55.7K ETB 9.0M

-55.09%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$56.5K ETB 9.1M

-45.04%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$204 ETB 32.8K

-59.43%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$7.41 ETB 1,191

-12.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$209 ETB 33.6K

-91.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$43.33 ETB 6,965

27.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$36.34 ETB 5,842

-49.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$3.81 ETB 612

12.86%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$135 ETB 21.6K

267.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$30.2K ETB 4.9M

-80.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$33.41 ETB 5,371

38.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$70.5 ETB 11.3K

-48.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$78.8 ETB 12.7K

2.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$81.9 ETB 13.2K

-3.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$703 ETB 113.0K

58.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$396 ETB 63.7K

74.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$2,262 ETB 363.6K

60.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$764 ETB 122.8K

124.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$1,975 ETB 317.5K

39.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,016 ETB 163.3K

125.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$201 ETB 32.4K

-17.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

18.5

-25.51%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Addis Ababa: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $703 in Addis Ababa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Addis Ababa pays 21% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $42.00 in Addis Ababa. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $210, 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 5% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $1,310 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 21% 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $703 in Addis Ababa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,310 in Addis Ababa – a 5% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Addis Ababa runs roughly 125% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,310 in Addis Ababa versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Addis Ababa but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Addis Ababa 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 Addis Ababa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.