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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $408 in Bosaso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $677 in Bosaso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $946 in Bosaso.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 248% more expensive than Bosaso, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Bosaso is 70% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$1.95 SOS 1,105

82.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$10.15 SOS 5,766

222.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$4.96 SOS 2,817

-0.20%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.22 SOS 695

122.13%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.98 SOS 558

36.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.51 SOS 288

37.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$2.45 SOS 1,393

-26.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.99 SOS 560

154.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$0.97 SOS 553

19.59%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.83 SOS 1,037

34.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$6.08 SOS 3,451

141.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$6.38 SOS 3,623

-32.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$5.55 SOS 3,151

118.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$3.45 SOS 1,962

11.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$3.58 SOS 2,036

-56.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$3.04 SOS 1,727

-6.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.96 SOS 1,113

18.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.97 SOS 1,118

-3.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.03 SOS 584

113.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$1.69 SOS 961

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.29 SOS 162

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$1.46 SOS 831

-68.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.58 SOS 332

-22.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$2.96 SOS 1,681

106.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.02 SOS 579

-22.55%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$4,068 SOS 2.3M

542.84%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$9,161 SOS 5.2M

250.62%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$10.08 SOS 5,723

-59.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$31.93 SOS 18.1K

-26.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$11.16 SOS 6,340

397.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$14.77 SOS 8,388

159.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$13.07 SOS 7,426

577.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$14.96 SOS 8,496

420.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$127 SOS 72.1K

693.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$84.4 SOS 47.9K

700.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$200 SOS 113.4K

1623.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$193 SOS 109.6K

956.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$29.7K SOS 16.9M

-90.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$303 SOS 172.2K

-45.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

8.57

54.96%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bosaso: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $127 in Bosaso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bosaso pays 83% 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 $10.00 in Bosaso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $201 per month, with Bosaso 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 Bosaso: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Bosaso differ by about 248% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $408 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bosaso earns 83% 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $127 in Bosaso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bosaso – a meal for two runs $10.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $408 in Bosaso – a 248% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $408 in Bosaso versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bosaso but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Bosaso 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 Bosaso 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 Bosaso gentler on the wallet – expenses run 248% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.