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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $898 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,371 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,844 in Bishkek.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 58% more expensive than Bishkek, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Bishkek is 33% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Bishkek
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.56 Rp 63.7K
$6.20 KGS 542
-42.58%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.73 Rp 584.5K
$21.18 KGS 1,852
54.53%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.95 Rp 88.4K
$5.81 KGS 508
-14.80%
Cappuccino
$2.71 Rp 48.4K
$2.11 KGS 184
28.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 24.0K
$0.67 KGS 58.7
100.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 Rp 12.5K
$0.33 KGS 28.67
112.12%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 Rp 52.1K
$1.17 KGS 103
149.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 Rp 70.7K
$1.68 KGS 147
135.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Bishkek
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 Rp 32.3K
$0.87 KGS 76.5
108.05%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 Rp 45.0K
$0.50 KGS 43.39
404.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 Rp 20.7K
$1.62 KGS 142
-28.40%
Eggs
$2.46 Rp 43.9K
$1.72 KGS 150
43.02%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.71 Rp 262.7K
$7.96 KGS 696
84.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.32 Rp 77.1K
$4.94 KGS 432
-12.55%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.14 Rp 216.7K
$8.08 KGS 707
50.25%
Apples (1kg)
$3.84 Rp 68.6K
$1.08 KGS 94.4
255.56%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 Rp 27.8K
$1.90 KGS 166
-17.89%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 Rp 50.6K
$2.09 KGS 183
35.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.5K
$1.71 KGS 150
36.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.2K
$0.55 KGS 47.85
247.27%
Onion (1kg)
$2.20 Rp 39.3K
$0.53 KGS 46.67
315.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 Rp 18.1K
$0.59 KGS 52.0
71.19%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 Rp 13.8K
$0.47 KGS 41.46
65.96%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.32 Rp 59.2K
$1.69 KGS 147
96.45%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.74 Rp 423.9K
$7.98 KGS 698
197.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 Rp 49.8K
$1.20 KGS 105
132.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 Rp 51.1K
$1.88 KGS 164
52.13%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Bishkek
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,800
$0.24 KGS 21.03
12.50%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.03 Rp 143.4K
$11.77 KGS 1,029
-31.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.46 Rp 8,150
$1.39 KGS 122
-66.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,037
$0.24 KGS 21.08
87.50%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 Rp 108.9K
$3.53 KGS 308
72.80%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$0.83 KGS 72.6
-4.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rp 467.0M
$38.1K KGS 3.3M
-31.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K Rp 573.6M
$34.2K KGS 3.0M
-5.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Bishkek
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$34.27 KGS 2,996
133.27%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.06 Rp 72.6K
$6.76 KGS 591
-39.94%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52 Rp 420.0K
$11.77 KGS 1,029
99.83%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Bishkek
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.7 Rp 1.8M
$41.99 KGS 3,671
135.06%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.63 Rp 118.4K
$15.78 KGS 1,380
-57.98%
Cinema Ticket
$4.15 Rp 74.1K
$4.53 KGS 396
-8.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Bishkek
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 Rp 5.4M
$196 KGS 17.2K
54.91%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,613 Rp 118.1M
$4,510 KGS 394.3K
46.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Bishkek
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.5 Rp 991.8K
$37.04 KGS 3,238
49.95%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.31 Rp 684.1K
$40.11 KGS 3,507
-4.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 Rp 1.6M
$94.8 KGS 8,291
-6.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$102 KGS 8,901
-23.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Bishkek
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 Rp 18.0M
$486 KGS 42.5K
107.11%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$675 Rp 12.1M
$370 KGS 32.3K
82.75%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,442 Rp 61.5M
$916 KGS 80.1K
275.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,039 Rp 36.4M
$626 KGS 54.7K
225.81%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,841 Rp 50.7M
$1,653 KGS 144.5K
71.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,264 Rp 40.4M
$1,160 KGS 101.4K
95.10%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Bishkek
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
$479 KGS 41.8K
-65.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
20.2
-34.26%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $486 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 190% 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 $21.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $170 per month, with Bishkek 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
Ubud, Bali vs Bishkek: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bishkek cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Bishkek is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ubud, Bali or Bishkek?
On paper, Bishkek earns 190% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Ubud, Bali and Bishkek?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $486 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $196 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do food prices compare in Ubud, Bali and Bishkek?
Supermarket bills run roughly 78% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Ubud, Bali or Bishkek?
At $898 in Bishkek versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bishkek but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Bishkek the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ubud, Bali or Bishkek more family-friendly?
For families, Bishkek is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Bishkek?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Bishkek are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Bishkek gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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