Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Chingola

For one person, living is cheaper in Chingola: $428 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Chingola
🇿🇲 Zambia
$428
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Chingola

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Chingola actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $428 in Chingola.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,353
  • Chingola $428

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Ubud, Bali versus $731 in Chingola.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,297
  • Chingola $731

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,241 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,033 in Chingola.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,241
  • Chingola $1,033

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 216% more expensive than in Chingola, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Chingola is 68% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Chingola
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
$15.26 ZMW 304
-78.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
$25.50 ZMW 507
36.78%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
$0.52 ZMW 10.33
230.77%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.37 ZMW 7.29
118.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
$0.61 ZMW 12.20
334.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
$1.23 ZMW 24.41
255.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Chingola
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.76 ZMW 35.04
-10.80%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
$1.20 ZMW 23.79
82.50%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$2.48 ZMW 49.29
-52.42%
Eggs
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
$1.84 ZMW 36.67
17.39%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
$5.11 ZMW 102
-26.03%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
$4.53 ZMW 90.1
163.80%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
$1.98 ZMW 39.48
81.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
$1.98 ZMW 39.37
-19.70%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
$2.01 ZMW 40.05
14.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$1.99 ZMW 39.49
-4.02%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$3.03 ZMW 60.2
-41.25%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
$1.54 ZMW 30.68
51.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,509
$0.88 ZMW 17.59
-39.77%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
$1.54 ZMW 30.63
48.70%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
$4.96 ZMW 98.6
344.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
$0.62 ZMW 12.34
279.03%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
$0.78 ZMW 15.60
282.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Chingola
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 Rp 4,112
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,466
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,737
$0.58 ZMW 11.61
-25.86%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
$10.17 ZMW 202
-46.21%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$1.34 ZMW 26.68
-38.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Chingola
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
$49.29 ZMW 980
62.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Chingola
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
$9.97 ZMW 198
442.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Chingola
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Chingola
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
$20.29 ZMW 404
124.64%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
$12.36 ZMW 246
182.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
$50.3 ZMW 1,001
54.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
$75.9 ZMW 1,509
3.51%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Chingola
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$15.1K ZMW 300.9K
-85.19%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Chingola
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$112 ZMW 2,223
48.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
0
-

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Last update for Chingola: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$673
Chingola
–
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$287
Chingola
–
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$107
Chingola
–
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Chingola
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$105
Chingola
–
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$63
Chingola
–
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Chingola
–

Cost Breakdown

Ubud, Bali pays 49% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $26.00 in Chingola for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $163 per month, with Chingola cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇿🇲 Chingola
🕒 Local time
20:33 8:33 PM
14:33 2:33 PM
6 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
210,073
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZMW, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Zambian Kwacha exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 19.89 ZMW (100 ZMW = 5.03 USD). 1 EUR = 22.36 ZMW (100 ZMW = 4.47 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Chingola 9,520 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Chingola

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Chingola: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chingola cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Chingola is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and leisure. The 216% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ubud, Bali or Chingola?
Average pay runs 49% higher in Ubud, Bali, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How do food prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Chingola?
Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Ubud, Bali or in Chingola?
Dining out is cheaper in Chingola – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ubud, Bali or in Chingola?
At $428 in Chingola versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Chingola but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Chingola the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ubud, Bali or Chingola more family-friendly?
For families, Chingola is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Chingola?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Chingola are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Chingola gentler on the wallet – expenses run 216% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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