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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $779 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,551 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,273 in Bulawayo, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,767 in Bulawayo, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 79% more than Bulawayo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Bulawayo is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.6K

$4.41 ZWL 118

-22.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 577.1K

$29.71 ZWL 795

8.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 89.1K

$5.45 ZWL 146

-8.26%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.3K

$2.43 ZWL 65.2

16.05%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

$0.52 ZWL 13.91

165.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.40 ZWL 10.82

82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$1.70 ZWL 45.44

75.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.8K

$2.51 ZWL 67.3

58.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$1.56 ZWL 41.78

14.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.00 ZWL 26.81

146.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$1.80 ZWL 48.09

-33.33%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

$1.75 ZWL 46.77

36.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 256.6K

$10.13 ZWL 271

42.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 76.4K

$3.94 ZWL 105

8.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.6K

$4.30 ZWL 115

174.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.4K

$1.51 ZWL 40.47

150.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$1.49 ZWL 39.88

9.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.9K

$2.21 ZWL 59.1

26.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.3K

$1.12 ZWL 29.98

101.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.6K

$1.20 ZWL 32.03

66.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

$1.39 ZWL 37.20

58.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

$1.02 ZWL 27.18

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.04 ZWL 27.96

-26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.7K

$1.54 ZWL 41.34

103.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 424.4K

$5.13 ZWL 137

364.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.6K

$1.49 ZWL 39.98

90.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.5K

$2.22 ZWL 59.4

25.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,755

$0.52 ZWL 13.85

-48.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 149.1K

$29.74 ZWL 796

-71.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,082

$2.94 ZWL 78.8

-84.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,624

$2.19 ZWL 58.7

-80.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 106.5K

$5.15 ZWL 138

16.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.67 ZWL 44.62

-52.10%

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

$25.8K Rp 459.9M

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

$31.8K Rp 566.8M

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$70.7 ZWL 1,893

14.18%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.7K

$18.27 ZWL 489

-77.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 429.8K

$131 ZWL 3,514

-81.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$24.62 ZWL 659

297.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.9K

$9.90 ZWL 265

-59.19%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$141 ZWL 3,784

110.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 117.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 982.6K

$21.82 ZWL 584

152.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 686.2K

$13.54 ZWL 362

184.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$67.4 ZWL 1,805

27.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$55.1 ZWL 1,476

41.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.6M

$183 ZWL 4,886

439.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$109 ZWL 2,906

512.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.4M

$463 ZWL 12.4K

644.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.4M

$418 ZWL 11.2K

389.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.4M

$2,088 ZWL 55.9K

35.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.7M

$2,069 ZWL 55.4K

10.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$305 ZWL 8,170

-44.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Bulawayo: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $183 in Bulawayo. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 80% higher in Bulawayo, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $30.00 in Bulawayo. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $179 – making Bulawayo the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Bulawayo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 79%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,091 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,168 in Bulawayo. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bulawayo, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,394 in Ubud, Bali and $779 in Bulawayo. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 255% less in Bulawayo. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bulawayo, where all-in costs run around $779, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,394. In Bulawayo it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bulawayo – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bulawayo. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.