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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $966 in Bishkek.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,507 in Bishkek.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,048 in Bishkek.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 43% more expensive than in Bishkek, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Bishkek is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$6.71 KGS 587

-50.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$28.54 KGS 2,495

25.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$5.92 KGS 517

-4.90%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.48 KGS 217

13.71%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.76 KGS 66.5

130.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.40 KGS 35.31

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.33 KGS 117

128.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.98 KGS 173

117.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.04 KGS 90.8

54.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.41 KGS 35.89

453.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.71 KGS 150

-31.58%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.68 KGS 147

29.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$7.73 KGS 676

128.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.49 KGS 392

-9.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$8.77 KGS 767

38.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$1.41 KGS 124

156.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.84 KGS 161

-10.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.09 KGS 182

10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.61 KGS 141

21.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.57 KGS 49.90

222.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.47 KGS 41.24

404.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.70 KGS 61.5

50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.60 KGS 52.5

-10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.08 KGS 182

10.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$8.88 KGS 776

159.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.42 KGS 124

64.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.92 KGS 168

59.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.24 KGS 21.10

4.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$11.57 KGS 1,012

-18.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.87 KGS 76.5

-43.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.48 KGS 42.17

-2.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$5.70 KGS 499

-1.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$0.96 KGS 84.2

-15.62%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$29.5K KGS 2.6M

-15.08%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$33.5K KGS 2.9M

-7.14%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$50.6 KGS 4,422

63.54%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$5.62 KGS 491

15.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$11.88 KGS 1,038

58.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$55.9 KGS 4,886

-1.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$14.46 KGS 1,264

25.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.74 KGS 501

-25.09%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$223 KGS 19.5K

121.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$7,761 KGS 678.5K

-23.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$56.3 KGS 4,923

-17.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$43.86 KGS 3,835

-16.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$90.6 KGS 7,921

-10.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$91.0 KGS 7,957

-13.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$602 KGS 52.6K

84.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$407 KGS 35.6K

70.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$1,098 KGS 96.0K

231.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$700 KGS 61.2K

144.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$1,802 KGS 157.6K

53.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,182 KGS 103.3K

93.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$492 KGS 43.0K

-66.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

20.22

-31.85%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Bishkek: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $602 in Bishkek. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bishkek pays 194% 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 $29.00 in Bishkek for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $176 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

Bishkek is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 194% lower in Bishkek. 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 $602 in Bishkek. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $223 in Bishkek. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 67% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $966 in Bishkek versus $1,378 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Bishkek gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.