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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $414 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $651 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $888 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 237% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% 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 64.5K

$4.19 RWF 6,133

-14.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$15.04 RWF 22.0K

114.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$5.86 RWF 8,580

-14.51%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.24 RWF 3,277

25.89%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.86 RWF 1,253

56.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.51 RWF 753

43.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.02 RWF 1,497

187.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.01 RWF 2,942

96.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.66 RWF 963

169.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.07 RWF 1,567

128.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.25 RWF 1,824

-8.00%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.68 RWF 2,462

43.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$4.16 RWF 6,086

244.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$4.26 RWF 6,233

-1.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$3.73 RWF 5,464

223.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.37 RWF 3,465

53.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.01 RWF 1,476

55.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.47 RWF 2,152

89.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.14 RWF 1,662

96.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.49 RWF 710

304.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$0.83 RWF 1,211

174.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.31 RWF 454

238.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.80 RWF 1,170

-1.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$1.69 RWF 2,479

88.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$10.03 RWF 14.7K

134.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$0.97 RWF 1,425

198.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$1.78 RWF 2,599

55.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.09 RWF 136

200.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$3.14 RWF 4,602

-85.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.40 RWF 2,052

-67.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$3.75 RWF 5,488

61.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.17 RWF 1,713

-26.50%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$26.9K RWF 39.4M

-1.19%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$30.0K RWF 43.9M

8.56%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$45.73 RWF 66.9K

72.80%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$3.06 RWF 4,483

33.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$17.97 RWF 26.3K

32.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$3.42 RWF 5,009

17.25%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$153 RWF 223.4K

94.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$5,123 RWF 7.5M

28.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$17.30 RWF 25.3K

208.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$19.10 RWF 28.0K

99.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$24.56 RWF 35.9K

260.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$30.90 RWF 45.2K

147.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$101 RWF 148.2K

906.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$50.6 RWF 74.1K

1243.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$299 RWF 438.1K

1058.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$118 RWF 172.8K

1670.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $101 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $15.00 in Gisenyi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $146 – 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 237% 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 $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $620 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 $32.00 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 104% 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 $414, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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 $414 versus $1,392 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.