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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $425 in Busembatya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $692 in Busembatya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $959 in Busembatya.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 238% more expensive than Busembatya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Busembatya is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$2.72 UGX 10.1K

31.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$26.86 UGX 99.6K

21.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$8.58 UGX 31.8K

-40.91%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.71 UGX 10.1K

4.43%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.48 UGX 1,769

179.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.29 UGX 1,061

137.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.35 UGX 5,005

121.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.84 UGX 10.5K

35.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.70 UGX 2,609

148.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.25 UGX 4,638

103.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.38 UGX 5,121

-13.77%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.76 UGX 6,513

38.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$4.41 UGX 16.3K

232.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$5.07 UGX 18.8K

-17.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$4.23 UGX 15.7K

182.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.81 UGX 10.4K

31.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.46 UGX 5,418

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.67 UGX 6,184

61.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.53 UGX 5,682

52.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.64 UGX 6,086

16.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.95 UGX 7,218

12.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.07 UGX 3,960

-0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.57 UGX 2,118

26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.98 UGX 11.1K

5.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$9.17 UGX 34.0K

156.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.18 UGX 4,383

132.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.11 UGX 7,806

36.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.59 UGX 2,173

-23.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.28 UGX 1,043

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$4.12 UGX 15.3K

49.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.45 UGX 5,376

-42.07%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$8,887 UGX 33.0M

195.30%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$8,597 UGX 31.9M

277.78%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$41.47 UGX 153.8K

89.10%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$14.65 UGX 54.3K

-73.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$44.74 UGX 165.9K

-45.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$6.15 UGX 22.8K

-34.31%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$161 UGX 595.4K

88.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$4,235 UGX 15.7M

54.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$16.71 UGX 62.0K

222.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$14.30 UGX 53.0K

165.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$37.89 UGX 140.5K

128.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$47.39 UGX 175.7K

66.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

20.8

-36.15%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Busembatya: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $27.00 in Busembatya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $169 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 238% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $425 including rent). Busembatya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $638 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 $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $161 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $425 in Busembatya versus $1,438 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 238% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.