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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $437 in Busembatya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $697 in Busembatya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $958 in Busembatya.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 213% more expensive than in Busembatya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Busembatya is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$2.57 UGX 10.1K

33.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.0K

$26.65 UGX 104.9K

36.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$7.49 UGX 29.5K

-23.77%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.62 UGX 10.3K

1.91%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.42 UGX 1,659

316.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.28 UGX 1,100

210.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.29 UGX 5,094

128.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.1K

$1.81 UGX 7,112

149.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.83 UGX 3,280

95.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.03 UGX 4,038

126.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.41 UGX 5,537

-21.28%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.51 UGX 5,954

45.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.8K

$4.80 UGX 18.9K

268.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$4.88 UGX 19.2K

-15.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$5.35 UGX 21.1K

127.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.7K

$2.16 UGX 8,494

71.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.18 UGX 4,646

34.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$1.34 UGX 5,295

70.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.30 UGX 5,132

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.29 UGX 5,099

48.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.41 UGX 5,555

65.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.86 UGX 3,379

17.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,788

$0.56 UGX 2,212

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.62 UGX 10.3K

-14.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.2K

$8.15 UGX 32.1K

183.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.04 UGX 4,083

132.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.01 UGX 7,922

49.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,580

$0.54 UGX 2,127

-11.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,691

$0.35 UGX 1,361

22.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$3.33 UGX 13.1K

69.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.48 UGX 5,836

-45.95%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.4M

$7,808 UGX 30.7M

219.48%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.4M

$7,950 UGX 31.3M

298.86%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$76.1 UGX 299.6K

7.10%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$12.65 UGX 49.8K

-48.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.9K

$36.91 UGX 145.4K

-49.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$7.71 UGX 30.4K

-41.12%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$265 UGX 1.0M

81.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$8,409 UGX 33.1M

-32.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.3K

$14.93 UGX 58.8K

204.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.4K

$13.63 UGX 53.7K

163.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$34.63 UGX 136.4K

132.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$45.84 UGX 180.5K

71.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

20.75

-33.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Busembatya: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $27.00 in Busembatya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $157 per month, with Busembatya 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 Busembatya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Busembatya differ by about 213% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $437 including rent). Busembatya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $655 in Busembatya to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $265 in Busembatya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Busembatya – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $437 in Busembatya versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Busembatya but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Busembatya 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 Busembatya 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 Busembatya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 213% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.