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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,194 in Boksburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,905 in Boksburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,615 in Boksburg.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 16% more expensive than in Boksburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Boksburg is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$12.59 R 203

-73.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$46.95 R 756

-16.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$5.61 R 90.3

0.18%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.44 R 39.25

8.20%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.11 R 17.82

42.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.90 R 14.56

-21.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$2.19 R 35.30

24.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$2.71 R 43.59

59.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.31 R 21.12

17.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.19 R 19.18

93.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.73 R 27.91

-40.46%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$2.53 R 40.77

-16.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$8.49 R 137

103.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$5.15 R 82.9

-21.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$8.60 R 139

44.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$1.93 R 31.04

91.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.65 R 26.59

-1.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$1.77 R 28.49

28.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.83 R 29.51

8.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$1.70 R 27.44

7.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$1.72 R 27.70

30.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$1.22 R 19.61

-14.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$1.33 R 21.36

-57.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$3.46 R 55.8

-35.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$6.34 R 102

266.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$1.59 R 25.63

50.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$1.94 R 31.20

47.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$0.30 R 4.77

53.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.82 R 13.15

-43.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$14.77 R 238

-61.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.47 R 23.72

-48.30%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$35.9K R 578.4K

-31.58%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$35.0K R 563.7K

-11.34%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$200 R 3,223

-58.94%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$37.72 R 607

-83.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$39.89 R 643

-53.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$29.32 R 472

91.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$8.00 R 129

-46.75%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$251 R 4,048

94.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$5,564 R 89.6K

4.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$54.0 R 869

-14.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$44.52 R 717

-19.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$106 R 1,706

-24.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$109 R 1,760

-25.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$329 R 5,304

247.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$360 R 5,802

92.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$692 R 11.1K

410.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$782 R 12.6K

118.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$879 R 14.2K

-80.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.91

26.31%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Boksburg: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $329 in Boksburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boksburg pays 419% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $47.00 in Boksburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $209, with Boksburg 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 Boksburg: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Boksburg differ by about 16% in total monthly costs ($1,379 vs $1,194 including rent). Boksburg is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 419% lower in Boksburg. 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: $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $329 in Boksburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,194 in Boksburg – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,194 in Boksburg versus $1,379 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boksburg but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Boksburg 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 Boksburg 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 Boksburg gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.