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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,065 in Boksburg.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,702 in Boksburg.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,338 in Boksburg.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 32% more expensive than Boksburg, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Boksburg is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$11.27 R 182

-68.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$42.78 R 692

-24.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.66 R 75.3

4.29%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.09 R 33.74

31.58%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.04 R 16.76

26.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.78 R 12.56

-10.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.21 R 35.66

31.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.82 R 45.59

34.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.20 R 19.46

42.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.01 R 16.36

144.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.58 R 25.56

-24.05%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.44 R 39.51

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$7.64 R 124

88.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$4.69 R 75.8

-8.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$6.64 R 107

83.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$1.63 R 26.28

125.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.47 R 23.81

5.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.60 R 25.95

74.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.65 R 26.60

41.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.50 R 24.27

31.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.44 R 23.23

60.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.09 R 17.58

-2.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.16 R 18.79

-37.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$3.03 R 48.94

8.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$5.95 R 96.1

283.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.30 R 21.07

116.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.85 R 29.98

50.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$1.60 R 25.93

-81.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.13 R 18.31

-60.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.88 R 14.16

-48.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$2.99 R 48.32

108.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.25 R 20.19

-32.00%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$19.2K R 310.4K

35.31%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$23.5K R 379.9K

34.70%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$124 R 2,005

-34.90%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$40.04 R 647

-89.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$42.44 R 686

-42.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$27.45 R 444

255.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$6.67 R 108

-3.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$7.61 R 123

-46.91%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$197 R 3,190

54.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$4,936 R 79.8K

34.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$51.2 R 827

6.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$32.29 R 522

20.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$88.9 R 1,437

-3.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$81.0 R 1,309

-5.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$294 R 4,758

234.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$325 R 5,251

102.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$614 R 9,921

449.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$730 R 11.8K

182.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$985 R 15.9K

178.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$654 R 10.6K

240.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$868 R 14.0K

-81.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.51

15.38%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Boksburg: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $294 in Boksburg. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boksburg pays 431% 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 $43.00 in Boksburg. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $184, 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 32% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $1,065 including rent). Boksburg is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Boksburg earns 431% 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $294 in Boksburg. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 61% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,065 in Boksburg – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,065 in Boksburg versus $1,404 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 32% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.