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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $443 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $691 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $938 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 209% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Gisenyi is 68% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$2.65 RWF 3,885

29.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$15.10 RWF 22.2K

140.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$6.16 RWF 9,037

-7.31%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.46 RWF 3,616

8.54%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.80 RWF 1,174

118.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.52 RWF 764

67.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.00 RWF 1,469

195.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$1.96 RWF 2,878

130.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.77 RWF 1,129

110.39%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.03 RWF 1,506

126.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.25 RWF 1,833

-11.20%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.63 RWF 2,393

34.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$4.32 RWF 6,346

309.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$4.49 RWF 6,584

-8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$4.55 RWF 6,684

167.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.37 RWF 3,483

56.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$0.88 RWF 1,287

80.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.54 RWF 2,266

48.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.00 RWF 1,461

95.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.49 RWF 718

289.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.80 RWF 1,169

191.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.31 RWF 461

225.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.79 RWF 1,157

-30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$2.08 RWF 3,058

7.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$10.23 RWF 15.0K

125.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$0.96 RWF 1,404

152.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.58 RWF 2,321

89.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.10 RWF 150

170.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$2.70 RWF 3,958

-82.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$2.02 RWF 2,963

-78.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$3.38 RWF 4,957

66.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.78 RWF 2,612

-55.06%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$26.5K RWF 38.9M

-5.91%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$29.3K RWF 43.0M

8.25%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$84.0 RWF 123.3K

-3.07%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$2.98 RWF 4,366

117.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$21.28 RWF 31.2K

-11.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$3.44 RWF 5,046

31.98%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$115 RWF 168.7K

318.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$9,686 RWF 14.2M

-41.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$17.50 RWF 25.7K

160.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$15.39 RWF 22.6K

133.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$21.97 RWF 32.2K

265.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$34.32 RWF 50.4K

129.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$286 RWF 419.9K

289.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$50.1 RWF 73.5K

1292.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$300 RWF 440.1K

1112.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$120 RWF 175.9K

1349.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

16.2

-14.94%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $286 in Gisenyi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $15.00 in Gisenyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $149 – making Gisenyi 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 Gisenyi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 209% more than Gisenyi, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. 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 $665 in Gisenyi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gisenyi, 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 $15.00 in Gisenyi. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 98% 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.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Gisenyi, where all-in costs run around $443, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Gisenyi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Gisenyi costs $443 versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Gisenyi. 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.