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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $82 in Busia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Ubud, Bali versus $135 in Busia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Ubud, Bali versus $188 in Busia.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 1626% more expensive than Busia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Busia is 94% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$0.34 UGX 1,273

414.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$1.36 UGX 5,027

85.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$1.63 UGX 6,023

42.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$4.12 UGX 15.3K

192.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$2.70 UGX 9,983

41.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$0.85 UGX 3,150

162.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.63 UGX 6,041

33.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$0.29 UGX 1,076

165.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$1.23 UGX 4,535

158.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$5.47 UGX 20.3K

324.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$1.13 UGX 4,185

152.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$1.41 UGX 5,202

92.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Busia: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali and $0 in Busia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $0 in Busia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $80 per month, with Busia 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 Busia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Busia wins on cost – living expenses run 1626% 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 $2,112 in Ubud, Bali and $122 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 274% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $81.6 in Busia – a 1626% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $81.6 in Busia versus $1,408 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 $81.6 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 1626% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.