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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $75.5 in Busia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $126 in Busia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $176 in Busia.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 1726% more expensive than in Busia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Busia is 95% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.33 UGX 1,275

387.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.31 UGX 5,049

73.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.56 UGX 6,009

39.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$4.05 UGX 15.7K

200.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.63 UGX 10.2K

37.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$0.77 UGX 2,988

154.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.55 UGX 5,982

52.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.27 UGX 1,045

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$1.18 UGX 4,554

94.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$5.16 UGX 19.9K

347.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.08 UGX 4,177

116.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.31 UGX 5,043

134.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Busia: September 7, 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 1726% 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 $2,067 in Ubud, Bali and $113 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 284% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $75.5 in Busia – a 1726% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $75.5 in Busia versus $1,378 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 $75.5 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 1726% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.