Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Gulu

For one person, living is cheaper in Gulu: $114 a month against $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $14,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Gulu, Uganda
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Gulu
🇺🇬 Uganda
$114
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Gulu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Gulu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Ubud, Bali versus $114 in Gulu.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,349
  • Gulu $114

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Ubud, Bali versus $167 in Gulu.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,305
  • Gulu $167

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,261 in Ubud, Bali versus $219 in Gulu.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,261
  • Gulu $219

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 1082% more expensive than in Gulu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Gulu
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.32 Rp 60.3K
$1.22 UGX 5,319
172.13%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.64 Rp 646.5K
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.53 Rp 100.4K
$10.93 UGX 47.5K
-49.41%
Cappuccino
$2.72 Rp 49.3K
$2.43 UGX 10.6K
11.93%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 Rp 30.9K
$0.25 UGX 1,089
580.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
$0.10 UGX 444
660.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 48.1K
$0.74 UGX 3,201
258.11%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 Rp 79.5K
$2.48 UGX 10.8K
76.61%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Gulu
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 Rp 27.0K
-
-
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 Rp 41.3K
-
-
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
-
-
Eggs
$2.04 Rp 36.9K
-
-
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.70 Rp 321.1K
-
-
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.96 Rp 71.9K
-
-
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.19 Rp 221.1K
-
-
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 Rp 66.3K
-
-
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 Rp 27.5K
-
-
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
-
-
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
-
-
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 Rp 33.5K
-
-
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 44.0K
-
-
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 18.0K
-
-
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 Rp 9,313
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.22 Rp 40.3K
-
-
Wine (Bottle)
$22.24 Rp 403.4K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 Rp 41.0K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Gulu
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,553
$0.93 UGX 4,034
-73.12%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.82 Rp 141.9K
$28.56 UGX 124.1K
-72.62%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,972
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,801
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 Rp 98.1K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 Rp 15.0K
$1.19 UGX 5,149
-31.09%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K Rp 432.4M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 575.9M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Gulu
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 116.9K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.58 Rp 337.0K
-
-
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Gulu
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.48 Rp 897.5K
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.65 Rp 320.1K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.27 Rp 77.5K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Gulu
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$491 Rp 8.9M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,674 Rp 102.9M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Gulu
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.64 Rp 809.7K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.95 Rp 634.0K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Gulu
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,125 Rp 20.4M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 Rp 12.2M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,565 Rp 64.7M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,723 Rp 31.3M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,732 Rp 49.5M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,284 Rp 41.4M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Gulu
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$164 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
0
-

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Gulu: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$672
Gulu
–
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$288
Gulu
–
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$108
Gulu
–
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Gulu
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$104
Gulu
–
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$58
Gulu
–
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$11
Gulu
–
Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇺🇬 Gulu
🕒 Local time
08:10 8:10 AM
03:10 3:10 AM
5 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
152,276
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

UGX, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18,138 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,252 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Ugandan Shilling exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 4,345 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.3 USD). 1 EUR = 4,851 UGX (10,000 UGX = 2.06 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Gulu 9,280 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Gulu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Gulu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Gulu cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Gulu is about 92% cheaper overall, especially in eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
What income do you need for each city?
You’d need roughly $2,023 in Ubud, Bali and $171 in Gulu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 73% less than in Gulu. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.
What are total monthly expenses in Ubud, Bali and in Gulu?
All in, you’ll spend $1,349 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $114 in Gulu – Gulu is about 92% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Ubud, Bali or in Gulu?
At $114 in Gulu versus $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Gulu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Gulu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is it better to live in Ubud, Bali or in Gulu?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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