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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $692 in Cusco.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,046 in Cusco.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,400 in Cusco.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 99% more expensive than in Cusco, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Cusco is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$2.60 PEN 8.73

28.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$21.14 PEN 70.9

69.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$6.59 PEN 22.08

-14.57%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.24 PEN 7.50

25.89%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.75 PEN 2.51

133.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.34 PEN 1.13

135.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.12 PEN 7.11

43.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.39 PEN 14.70

-2.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.29 PEN 4.34

24.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$2.36 PEN 7.90

-3.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.36 PEN 4.55

-13.97%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$3.71 PEN 12.45

-41.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$5.01 PEN 16.81

251.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.52 PEN 15.14

-10.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$7.49 PEN 25.11

62.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.62 PEN 8.77

38.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$0.85 PEN 2.86

92.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.45 PEN 4.86

59.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$0.91 PEN 3.04

115.38%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.06 PEN 3.56

73.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.11 PEN 3.70

113.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.50 PEN 1.67

110.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.78 PEN 2.63

-30.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$5.82 PEN 19.50

296.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.91 PEN 6.39

22.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$4.41 PEN 14.78

-30.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.31 PEN 1.05

-19.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.75 PEN 5.87

-72.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.97 PEN 6.61

-76.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$3.04 PEN 10.18

84.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.55 PEN 5.20

-47.74%

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

$29.68 PEN 99.5

178.71%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$14.70 PEN 49.29

-55.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$45.60 PEN 153

-58.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$35.58 PEN 119

55.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.38 PEN 14.69

-1.83%

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

$39.30 PEN 132

17.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$34.46 PEN 116

5.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$55.4 PEN 186

45.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$73.4 PEN 246

7.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$149 PEN 501

645.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$177 PEN 592

292.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$358 PEN 1,199

917.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$271 PEN 910

531.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$3,931 PEN 13.2K

-29.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,777 PEN 5,958

29.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$447 PEN 1,497

-62.59%

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 Cusco: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $149 in Cusco. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cusco pays 167% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $21.00 in Cusco for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $192 per month, with Cusco 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 Cusco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cusco is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 167% lower in Cusco. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $149 in Cusco. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 53% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Cusco – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $692 in Cusco versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cusco but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cusco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cusco 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.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Cusco 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 Cusco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.