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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $418 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $653 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $888 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 236% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Gisenyi is 69% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$4.11 RWF 6,004

-13.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$14.89 RWF 21.7K

118.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$6.14 RWF 8,964

-20.85%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.21 RWF 3,229

24.43%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.82 RWF 1,199

60.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.52 RWF 752

34.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.07 RWF 1,558

171.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.02 RWF 2,950

87.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$0.67 RWF 985

155.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.02 RWF 1,487

142.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.28 RWF 1,864

-6.25%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.71 RWF 2,499

42.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$3.99 RWF 5,829

260.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$4.45 RWF 6,492

-3.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$3.69 RWF 5,379

230.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.49 RWF 3,630

47.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.01 RWF 1,472

53.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.49 RWF 2,177

87.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.14 RWF 1,667

104.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$0.51 RWF 746

286.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$0.78 RWF 1,136

196.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.29 RWF 423

265.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.81 RWF 1,181

-9.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$1.69 RWF 2,466

94.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$10.34 RWF 15.1K

120.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$0.92 RWF 1,340

205.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.78 RWF 2,594

56.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.11 RWF 161

163.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$3.17 RWF 4,633

-85.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.44 RWF 2,101

-68.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$3.80 RWF 5,553

64.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.14 RWF 1,659

-25.44%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$26.3K RWF 38.4M

-1.17%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$30.5K RWF 44.5M

3.95%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$46.63 RWF 68.1K

73.17%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$3.03 RWF 4,429

33.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$18.14 RWF 26.5K

34.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$3.39 RWF 4,944

19.17%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$152 RWF 222.0K

99.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$5,187 RWF 7.6M

27.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$17.33 RWF 25.3K

212.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$19.29 RWF 28.2K

101.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$24.23 RWF 35.4K

255.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$31.59 RWF 46.1K

142.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$99.7 RWF 145.4K

889.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$50.5 RWF 73.8K

1201.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$304 RWF 444.3K

1006.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$120 RWF 175.7K

1616.11%

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

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

16.2

-18.02%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $99.7 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $15.00 in Gisenyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $147 – 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 236% 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 $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $627 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 $33.00 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 102% 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 $418, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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 $418 versus $1,404 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.