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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $80.3 in Busia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $132 in Busia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $184 in Busia.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 1649% more expensive than Busia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Busia is 94% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$0.32 UGX 1,186

434.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.35 UGX 5,068

82.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.68 UGX 6,305

45.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$4.05 UGX 15.2K

201.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.73 UGX 10.2K

34.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$0.82 UGX 3,067

184.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.70 UGX 6,361

35.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.29 UGX 1,088

151.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$1.24 UGX 4,646

164.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$5.16 UGX 19.4K

341.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.08 UGX 4,046

160.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.42 UGX 5,330

95.77%

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

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

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

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

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

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Busia: June 8, 2026

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 Busia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busia wins on cost – living expenses run 1649% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Busia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,106 in Ubud, Bali and $120 in Busia 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 277% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $80.3 in Busia – a 1649% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $80.3 in Busia versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Busia but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Busia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Busia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $80.3 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Busia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Busia 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 Busia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1649% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.