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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $324 in Bosaso.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $496 in Bosaso.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $667 in Bosaso.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 322% more expensive than in Bosaso, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Bosaso is 76% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$2.01 SOS 1,142

71.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$5.05 SOS 2,868

13.07%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$1.51 SOS 860

76.82%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.02 SOS 579

71.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.63 SOS 360

38.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.94 SOS 1,671

-44.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.39 SOS 221

184.62%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$2.96 SOS 1,680

38.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$4.06 SOS 2,306

200.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$1.99 SOS 1,128

86.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$2.94 SOS 1,670

-45.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.51 SOS 860

-63.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$1.02 SOS 579

118.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.29 SOS 165

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.73 SOS 985

-72.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.87 SOS 497

-50.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$2.52 SOS 1,429

123.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.89 SOS 503

-10.11%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$9.85 SOS 5,596

-34.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$32.31 SOS 18.4K

-41.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$11.18 SOS 6,349

307.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$15.06 SOS 8,557

138.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$13.20 SOS 7,495

509.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$14.79 SOS 8,402

431.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$124 SOS 70.2K

801.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$86.2 SOS 48.9K

709.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$203 SOS 115.1K

1695.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$189 SOS 107.5K

817.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$30.1K SOS 17.1M

-90.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$299 SOS 170.1K

-43.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

37.80%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Bosaso: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $124 in Bosaso. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bosaso pays 78% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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 322% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $324 including rent). Bosaso is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 78% 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $124 in Bosaso. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 185% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $324 in Bosaso – a 322% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $324 in Bosaso versus $1,368 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 322% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.