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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $375 in Butare.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $602 in Butare.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $828 in Butare.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 267% more expensive than in Butare, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Butare is 73% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$2.79 RWF 4,093

19.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$30.18 RWF 44.3K

18.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$6.93 RWF 10.2K

-18.76%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.42 RWF 3,544

16.53%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.75 RWF 1,104

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.56 RWF 819

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.04 RWF 1,532

192.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.33 RWF 3,412

84.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.33 RWF 482

387.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.84 RWF 1,238

170.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.93 RWF 1,364

25.81%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.59 RWF 2,326

36.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$1.74 RWF 2,551

913.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$2.35 RWF 3,446

72.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$3.10 RWF 4,542

292.90%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.08 RWF 3,055

74.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.92 RWF 1,352

78.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.12 RWF 1,640

106.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$0.78 RWF 1,147

151.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$0.40 RWF 584

360.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$0.26 RWF 379

811.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.14 RWF 199

650.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.86 RWF 1,254

-37.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.06 RWF 3,023

11.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$10.12 RWF 14.8K

128.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.02 RWF 1,489

129.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.51 RWF 2,214

103.31%

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

$2.66 RWF 3,909

-81.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.99 RWF 2,918

-76.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$3.44 RWF 5,044

62.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.71 RWF 2,504

-52.63%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$26.6K RWF 39.0M

-5.94%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$29.7K RWF 43.6M

4.52%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$82.7 RWF 121.4K

-0.01%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$7.06 RWF 10.4K

-8.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$21.13 RWF 31.0K

-11.07%

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

$3.46 RWF 5,077

24.28%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$113 RWF 165.2K

338.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$9,359 RWF 13.7M

-36.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$17.40 RWF 25.5K

165.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$15.51 RWF 22.8K

134.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$22.25 RWF 32.6K

262.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$33.74 RWF 49.5K

133.55%

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

16.2

-14.94%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Butare: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $30.00 in Butare for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $113 per month, with Butare 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 Butare: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Butare wins on cost – living expenses run 267% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Butare the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,067 in Ubud, Bali and $563 in Butare 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 159% 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 $375 in Butare – a 267% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $375 in Butare versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Butare but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Butare the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Butare delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $375 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Butare hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Butare 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 Butare gentler on the wallet – expenses run 267% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.