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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,724 in Freetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,431 in Freetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,138 in Freetown, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 21% cheaper than Freetown, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Ubud, Bali and Freetown sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 0%, Freetown by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$2.02 SLL 46.0K

70.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$39.55 SLL 902.0K

-8.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$10.80 SLL 246.4K

-47.13%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.43 SLL 55.5K

9.88%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$1.35 SLL 30.7K

29.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.74 SLL 16.8K

17.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.96 SLL 44.8K

50.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$2.96 SLL 67.5K

52.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.37 SLL 53.9K

-31.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.63 SLL 14.4K

269.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.32 SLL 30.2K

-15.91%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$1.85 SLL 42.2K

18.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$7.28 SLL 165.9K

142.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$10.19 SLL 232.4K

-59.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

$5.35 SLL 122.0K

127.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$3.98 SLL 90.8K

-6.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$2.01 SLL 45.9K

-20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$0.74 SLL 17.0K

208.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$4.87 SLL 111.0K

-59.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.98 SLL 45.2K

-3.54%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.62 SLL 36.9K

43.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$1.33 SLL 30.3K

-58.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$3.06 SLL 69.8K

-27.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$7.59 SLL 173.1K

203.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.24 SLL 28.3K

95.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.02 SLL 46.1K

48.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

$0.41 SLL 9,356

-34.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$0.48 SLL 11.0K

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$0.51 SLL 11.7K

-15.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.33 SLL 30.2K

-39.85%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$11.8K SLL 269.6M

111.00%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$25.2K SLL 574.9M

25.79%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$60.6 SLL 1.4M

34.53%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$10.04 SLL 228.9K

-35.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$9.85 SLL 224.5K

362.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$7.78 SLL 177.4K

361.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$19.76 SLL 450.6K

306.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$50.1 SLL 1.1M

57.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$917 SLL 20.9M

21.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$1,273 SLL 29.0M

-45.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$3,527 SLL 80.4M

3.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,311 SLL 29.9M

-87.18%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Freetown: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $917 in Freetown. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 680% higher in Freetown, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $40.00 in Freetown. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Ubud, Bali vs $241 in Freetown – so Freetown wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Freetown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Freetown costs about 26% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,586 in Freetown. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $40.00 in Freetown. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $1,724 in Freetown. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,368, than in Freetown at $1,724. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Freetown it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,368 in Ubud, Bali to $1,724 in Freetown. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Freetown makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.