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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $434 in Busembatya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $698 in Busembatya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $962 in Busembatya.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 221% more expensive than in Busembatya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Busembatya is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$2.85 UGX 10.7K

25.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$26.51 UGX 99.3K

21.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$8.54 UGX 32.0K

-41.33%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.73 UGX 10.2K

3.30%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.51 UGX 1,910

164.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.29 UGX 1,069

151.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.37 UGX 5,138

113.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.76 UGX 10.3K

42.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.70 UGX 2,634

154.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.21 UGX 4,542

102.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.40 UGX 5,241

-17.86%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.75 UGX 6,543

37.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$4.22 UGX 15.8K

239.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$5.09 UGX 19.1K

-17.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$4.22 UGX 15.8K

185.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.77 UGX 10.4K

31.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.46 UGX 5,450

7.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.68 UGX 6,272

66.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.54 UGX 5,776

45.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.57 UGX 5,879

26.11%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.85 UGX 6,909

23.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.03 UGX 3,839

1.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.54 UGX 2,015

46.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.95 UGX 11.1K

8.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$7.87 UGX 29.5K

198.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.19 UGX 4,458

143.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.06 UGX 7,725

33.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.57 UGX 2,145

-21.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.26 UGX 966

76.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$4.15 UGX 15.5K

46.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.49 UGX 5,596

-42.28%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$8,894 UGX 33.3M

198.94%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$8,890 UGX 33.3M

266.11%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$42.07 UGX 157.5K

87.83%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$14.35 UGX 53.7K

-71.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$44.25 UGX 165.7K

-46.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$6.29 UGX 23.6K

-36.25%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$159 UGX 595.3K

86.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$4,263 UGX 16.0M

54.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$17.26 UGX 64.6K

209.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$14.29 UGX 53.5K

166.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$38.63 UGX 144.7K

129.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$47.66 UGX 178.5K

60.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Busembatya: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $27.00 in Busembatya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $164 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 221% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $434 including rent). Busembatya is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,088 in Ubud, Bali and $651 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 $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $159 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $434 in Busembatya versus $1,392 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 221% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.