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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $419 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $656 in Gisenyi, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $893 in Gisenyi, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 243% more than Gisenyi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% 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 61.9K

$4.08 RWF 5,969

-12.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$14.84 RWF 21.7K

119.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$5.90 RWF 8,631

-14.07%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.24 RWF 3,278

26.34%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.86 RWF 1,260

55.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.52 RWF 759

32.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.01 RWF 1,483

196.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.03 RWF 2,970

89.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$0.66 RWF 971

163.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.07 RWF 1,561

137.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.24 RWF 1,811

-4.03%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.64 RWF 2,400

48.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$4.17 RWF 6,111

251.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.43 RWF 6,480

-5.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$3.67 RWF 5,371

225.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.50 RWF 3,655

47.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$0.99 RWF 1,455

62.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.43 RWF 2,091

88.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.14 RWF 1,671

104.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.49 RWF 714

289.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.77 RWF 1,123

184.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.31 RWF 460

241.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.79 RWF 1,163

-8.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$1.70 RWF 2,484

84.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$10.13 RWF 14.8K

131.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$0.90 RWF 1,321

204.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.72 RWF 2,519

67.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.10 RWF 149

190.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$3.19 RWF 4,675

-85.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.40 RWF 2,044

-70.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$3.89 RWF 5,689

58.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.14 RWF 1,668

-26.32%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$26.8K RWF 39.2M

-1.92%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$30.4K RWF 44.4M

6.97%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$47.21 RWF 69.1K

66.11%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$3.08 RWF 4,511

28.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$18.01 RWF 26.4K

35.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$3.51 RWF 5,135

15.10%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$156 RWF 227.8K

94.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$5,205 RWF 7.6M

25.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$17.33 RWF 25.4K

210.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$19.53 RWF 28.6K

94.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$24.22 RWF 35.5K

258.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$31.42 RWF 46.0K

150.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$99.1 RWF 145.0K

921.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$50.5 RWF 73.9K

1236.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$297 RWF 435.2K

1040.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$118 RWF 172.9K

1676.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Gisenyi: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $99.1 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: $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 243% 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 $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $629 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 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 $419, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. 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 $419 versus $1,438 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.