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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $434 in Busembatya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $691 in Busembatya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $947 in Busembatya.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 223% more expensive than Busembatya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Busembatya is 68% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$2.76 UGX 10.3K

29.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$26.56 UGX 99.5K

22.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$8.86 UGX 33.2K

-45.15%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.75 UGX 10.3K

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.48 UGX 1,789

175.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.31 UGX 1,163

125.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.38 UGX 5,166

110.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.79 UGX 10.5K

35.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$0.75 UGX 2,803

128.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.19 UGX 4,474

107.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.37 UGX 5,139

-12.41%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.81 UGX 6,785

34.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$4.40 UGX 16.5K

226.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$5.07 UGX 19.0K

-14.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$4.33 UGX 16.2K

181.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.72 UGX 10.2K

35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.54 UGX 5,788

0.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.73 UGX 6,482

61.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.53 UGX 5,738

52.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.56 UGX 5,855

26.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.85 UGX 6,917

24.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.02 UGX 3,828

3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.55 UGX 2,044

32.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$2.94 UGX 11.0K

11.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$8.59 UGX 32.2K

165.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.20 UGX 4,480

134.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.11 UGX 7,902

31.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.54 UGX 2,007

-16.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.26 UGX 971

73.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$4.28 UGX 16.0K

45.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.44 UGX 5,402

-40.97%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$9,043 UGX 33.9M

187.29%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$8,933 UGX 33.5M

254.40%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$42.82 UGX 160.5K

88.58%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$14.51 UGX 54.4K

-72.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$43.82 UGX 164.2K

-44.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$6.31 UGX 23.6K

-35.97%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$161 UGX 602.6K

89.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$4,352 UGX 16.3M

52.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$16.89 UGX 63.3K

221.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$14.18 UGX 53.1K

173.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$38.48 UGX 144.2K

123.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$47.27 UGX 177.1K

62.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Busembatya: June 8, 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 $297 vs $168 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 223% in total monthly costs ($1,404 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 $2,106 in Ubud, Bali and $652 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 $304 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 $434 in Busembatya versus $1,404 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 223% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.