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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,970 in Freetown, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,723 in Freetown, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,475 in Freetown, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 29% cheaper than Freetown, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Ubud, Bali and Freetown sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 4%, Freetown by 47%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$2.97 SLL 67.5K

20.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$32.35 SLL 734.6K

0.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$10.18 SLL 231.1K

-52.26%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$1.77 SLL 40.1K

55.37%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.05 SLL 23.8K

25.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.85 SLL 19.2K

-17.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.47 SLL 33.4K

97.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.69 SLL 61.2K

40.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$2.47 SLL 56.0K

-30.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$0.64 SLL 14.5K

285.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.34 SLL 30.4K

-10.45%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.04 SLL 46.3K

19.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$7.28 SLL 165.4K

97.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$7.32 SLL 166.3K

-41.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$5.13 SLL 116.4K

138.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$3.94 SLL 89.4K

-6.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.03 SLL 46.0K

-23.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$0.69 SLL 15.8K

304.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$5.01 SLL 113.9K

-53.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$2.03 SLL 46.1K

-2.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.67 SLL 37.9K

38.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.98 SLL 22.4K

8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.38 SLL 31.2K

-47.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$3.02 SLL 68.5K

8.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$7.51 SLL 170.5K

203.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.15 SLL 26.2K

144.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.00 SLL 45.5K

39.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.47 SLL 10.7K

-38.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.77 SLL 17.5K

-41.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.28 SLL 29.1K

-64.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$5.14 SLL 116.8K

21.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.36 SLL 31.0K

-37.50%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$11.8K SLL 268.2M

119.95%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$25.2K SLL 572.2M

25.65%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$147 SLL 3.3M

-45.06%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$9.82 SLL 223.0K

-58.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$102 SLL 2.3M

-75.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$50.6 SLL 1.1M

93.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$10.13 SLL 230.1K

435.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$7.82 SLL 177.5K

395.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$19.62 SLL 445.6K

339.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$49.12 SLL 1.1M

56.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$832 SLL 18.9M

18.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$1,239 SLL 28.1M

-46.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$2,119 SLL 48.1M

59.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$99.4 SLL 2.3M

1978.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$1,327 SLL 30.1M

-87.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Freetown: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $832 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 712% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $32.00 in Freetown. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $233 – making Freetown the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, $1,970 in Freetown – roughly 40% apart. Freetown costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,955 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $32.00 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 $1,404 in Ubud, Bali and $1,970 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 $1,404, than in Freetown at $1,970. 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 $1,404 in Ubud, Bali to $1,970 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.