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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,400 in Asmara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,194 in Asmara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,988 in Asmara.

Monthly costs are close between Ubud, Bali and Asmara; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 2% above, Asmara 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$21.28 ERN 320

-84.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$33.91 ERN 510

13.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$6.15 ERN 92.6

-10.24%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$0.83 ERN 12.46

218.07%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.98 ERN 14.80

70.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.99 ERN 14.88

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$0.58 ERN 8.78

353.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.58 ERN 23.85

-1.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$2.37 ERN 35.61

-52.32%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$4.26 ERN 64.1

-50.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$2.93 ERN 44.08

493.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$27.34 ERN 411

-85.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$9.91 ERN 149

26.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$12.25 ERN 184

-70.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.25 ERN 18.80

24.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.97 ERN 29.69

19.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.14 ERN 17.13

80.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.85 ERN 27.79

2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.91 ERN 13.63

157.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$2.27 ERN 34.24

-75.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$12.11 ERN 182

96.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.02 ERN 15.38

126.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$0.98 ERN 14.79

185.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.11 ERN 1.67

145.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$7.82 ERN 118

10.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.59 ERN 8.83

-23.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$9.97 ERN 150

-42.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$2.52 ERN 37.99

-69.84%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$66.8K ERN 1.0M

-63.34%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$70.8K ERN 1.1M

-54.65%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$25.04 ERN 377

233.67%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$69.0 ERN 1,038

-90.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$198 ERN 2,978

-90.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$26.53 ERN 399

110.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$4.90 ERN 73.7

280.00%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$1.22 ERN 18.30

250.82%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$25.05 ERN 377

1842.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$2,644 ERN 39.8K

121.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$135 ERN 2,037

-66.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$118 ERN 1,772

-69.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$202 ERN 3,037

-59.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$151 ERN 2,270

-46.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$249 ERN 3,743

348.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$200 ERN 3,006

250.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$445 ERN 6,698

694.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$418 ERN 6,297

321.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$1,271 ERN 19.1K

122.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$2,529 ERN 38.1K

-9.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

14.83%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Asmara: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $249 in Asmara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Asmara. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $366, with Ubud, Bali 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 Asmara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

You'd need roughly $2,095 in Ubud, Bali and $2,100 in Asmara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $249 in Asmara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $487 in Ubud, Bali versus $25.05 in Asmara. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $34.00 in Asmara. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,400 in Asmara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Asmara. 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 Asmara are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Ubud, Bali wins on affordability, Asmara on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.