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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,383 in Addis Ababa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,083 in Addis Ababa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,783 in Addis Ababa.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 3% more expensive than Addis Ababa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Addis Ababa 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$4.55 ETB 718

-21.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$35.04 ETB 5,522

-6.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$6.41 ETB 1,010

-22.78%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.24 ETB 196

118.55%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.69 ETB 109

94.20%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.43 ETB 67.7

62.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$0.99 ETB 156

194.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.97 ETB 468

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.44 ETB 228

25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.33 ETB 210

89.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$2.17 ETB 343

-46.54%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.43 ETB 383

1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$7.29 ETB 1,148

101.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$13.73 ETB 2,164

-68.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$13.09 ETB 2,063

-7.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$6.68 ETB 1,053

-42.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$0.98 ETB 154

59.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$2.19 ETB 345

29.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$0.99 ETB 157

135.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.68 ETB 107

180.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.81 ETB 286

21.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.68 ETB 108

48.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.64 ETB 101

21.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$4.02 ETB 633

-17.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$5.77 ETB 909

311.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$0.99 ETB 156

181.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$1.89 ETB 298

51.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.43 ETB 67.9

-37.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$12.21 ETB 1,925

-34.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$1.48 ETB 234

-68.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.27 ETB 42.16

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$2.05 ETB 323

197.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.24 ETB 195

-36.29%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$55.4K ETB 8.7M

-52.82%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$54.0K ETB 8.5M

-40.53%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$157 ETB 24.8K

-49.13%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$12.11 ETB 1,908

-66.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$129 ETB 20.3K

-81.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$69.5 ETB 11.0K

42.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$36.71 ETB 5,786

-81.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$5.86 ETB 923

-29.18%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$81.1 ETB 12.8K

274.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$41.1K ETB 6.5M

-83.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$46.81 ETB 7,377

18.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$74.1 ETB 11.7K

-48.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$93.3 ETB 14.7K

-5.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$115 ETB 18.2K

-32.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$758 ETB 119.5K

32.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$495 ETB 78.0K

36.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$1,819 ETB 286.7K

89.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$890 ETB 140.2K

129.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$1,981 ETB 312.2K

43.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$1,009 ETB 159.0K

124.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$206 ETB 32.5K

-19.94%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Addis Ababa: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $758 in Addis Ababa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Addis Ababa pays 25% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $35.00 in Addis Ababa. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $1,383 including rent). Addis Ababa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Addis Ababa earns 25% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $758 in Addis Ababa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,383 in Addis Ababa – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Addis Ababa runs roughly 52% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,383 in Addis Ababa versus $1,419 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 3% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.