Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Elmina

For one person, living is cheaper in Elmina: $668 a month against $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $8,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Elmina
🇬🇭 Ghana
$668
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Elmina actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $668 in Elmina, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,368
  • Elmina $668

A couple spends around $2,314 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,125 in Elmina, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,314
  • Elmina $1,125

A family of three spends $3,260 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,582 in Elmina, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,260
  • Elmina $1,582

Ubud, Bali costs about 105% more than Elmina, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Ubud, Bali sits 1% above the global median, while Elmina is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Elmina
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 Rp 59.9K
$7.82 GHS 91.0
-57.42%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.18 Rp 633.2K
$50.8 GHS 591
-30.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.80 Rp 104.5K
$10.26 GHS 119
-43.47%
Cappuccino
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
$4.46 GHS 51.9
-38.79%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
$1.53 GHS 17.85
7.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$0.44 GHS 5.12
88.64%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
$1.81 GHS 21.03
49.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.30 Rp 77.4K
$2.17 GHS 25.19
98.16%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Elmina
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 Rp 27.1K
$3.67 GHS 42.68
-59.13%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
$1.67 GHS 19.37
37.72%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$3.06 GHS 35.63
-61.44%
Eggs
$2.14 Rp 38.6K
$2.68 GHS 31.21
-20.15%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.48 Rp 314.6K
$12.03 GHS 140
45.30%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.03 Rp 72.5K
$7.08 GHS 82.3
-43.08%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 Rp 220.1K
$9.62 GHS 112
27.13%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 63.9K
$3.61 GHS 41.93
-1.66%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.40 GHS 16.32
12.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
$1.77 GHS 20.58
26.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.93 Rp 34.7K
$3.56 GHS 41.44
-45.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 Rp 33.9K
$2.69 GHS 31.29
-30.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
$2.65 GHS 30.82
-13.58%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
$0.72 GHS 8.34
37.50%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,475
$0.60 GHS 7.02
-11.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
$2.51 GHS 29.19
-9.16%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.01 Rp 414.2K
$7.06 GHS 82.1
225.92%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 Rp 42.2K
$1.21 GHS 14.10
93.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 Rp 52.4K
$2.33 GHS 27.14
24.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Elmina
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 Rp 4,315
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.82 Rp 158.7K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,684
$1.74 GHS 20.29
-72.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 Rp 8,233
$1.26 GHS 14.65
-63.49%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 Rp 98.2K
$4.30 GHS 50.0
26.74%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
$1.34 GHS 15.58
-34.33%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K Rp 442.2M
$7,913 GHS 92.0K
210.45%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K Rp 561.4M
$9,662 GHS 112.4K
222.80%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Elmina
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
$73.7 GHS 857
12.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 116.0K
$19.07 GHS 222
-66.18%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.57 Rp 334.2K
$42.25 GHS 491
-56.05%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Elmina
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 Rp 1.0M
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.11 Rp 326.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 78.9K
$12.66 GHS 147
-65.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Elmina
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$470 GHS 5,464
4.92%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,754 Rp 103.6M
$18.6K GHS 216.6K
-69.10%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Elmina
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.19 Rp 831.4K
$14.18 GHS 165
225.74%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.33 Rp 636.0K
$18.59 GHS 216
90.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$36.74 GHS 427
115.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$52.0 GHS 605
50.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Elmina
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,142 Rp 20.6M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$676 Rp 12.2M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,503 Rp 63.1M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,700 Rp 30.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,784 Rp 50.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Elmina
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
26.75
-48.49%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Last update for Elmina: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$676
Elmina
- * 100%
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$290
Elmina
$276 4.8% $14
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$109
Elmina
$168 54.6% $59
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$108
Elmina
$135 25% $27
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Elmina
$55 49.2% $53
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$65
Elmina
$25 * 60.8% $39
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$13
Elmina
$8 * 35.9% $4.5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $51.0 in Elmina. Groceries tell a different story – $290 in Ubud, Bali vs $276 in Elmina – so Elmina wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇬🇭 Elmina
🕒 Local time
20:33 8:33 PM
12:33 12:33 PM
8 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
34,403
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

GHS, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Ghanaian Cedi exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 11.63 GHS (100 GHS = 8.6 USD). 1 EUR = 13.07 GHS (100 GHS = 7.65 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Elmina 13,010 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Elmina

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 Elmina: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elmina cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 105%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,051 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,001 in Elmina. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Is eating out cheaper in Ubud, Bali or in Elmina?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali and $51.0 in Elmina. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Elmina?
Groceries cost about 5% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Ubud, Bali or in Elmina?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Elmina, where all-in costs run around $668, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Elmina it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ubud, Bali or Elmina more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Elmina – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Elmina?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Elmina. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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