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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $418 in Bosaso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $684 in Bosaso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $951 in Bosaso.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 237% more expensive than in Bosaso, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Bosaso is 69% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$1.98 SOS 1,123

74.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$10.07 SOS 5,720

221.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$4.85 SOS 2,757

-0.21%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$1.23 SOS 701

123.58%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.98 SOS 558

40.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.50 SOS 286

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$2.57 SOS 1,461

-32.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$0.98 SOS 556

151.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.02 SOS 581

14.71%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$1.84 SOS 1,047

32.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$5.96 SOS 3,384

143.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$6.60 SOS 3,747

-34.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$5.38 SOS 3,054

122.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$3.55 SOS 2,019

4.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$3.49 SOS 1,982

-53.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$3.04 SOS 1,729

-9.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.97 SOS 1,118

13.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$2.02 SOS 1,146

-4.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$0.98 SOS 555

132.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.61 SOS 917

-55.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.31 SOS 177

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$1.46 SOS 831

-67.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$0.62 SOS 351

-32.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$2.96 SOS 1,681

110.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.02 SOS 579

-20.59%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$3,997 SOS 2.3M

565.76%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$8,976 SOS 5.1M

258.61%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$9.98 SOS 5,668

-59.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$31.46 SOS 17.9K

-22.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$10.82 SOS 6,145

400.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$15.24 SOS 8,657

148.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$12.89 SOS 7,324

573.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$14.90 SOS 8,464

412.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$124 SOS 70.2K

702.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$83.5 SOS 47.4K

705.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$199 SOS 112.8K

1599.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$187 SOS 106.3K

995.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$29.7K SOS 16.9M

-90.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$299 SOS 169.9K

-44.18%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bosaso: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $124 in Bosaso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bosaso pays 79% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $10.00 in Bosaso for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $202 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 237% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $418 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 79% lower in Bosaso. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $124 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $418 in Bosaso – a 237% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $418 in Bosaso versus $1,408 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 237% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.