Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Istočno Sarajevo Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Istočno Sarajevo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $962 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,440 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,918 in Istočno Sarajevo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 48% more expensive than Istočno Sarajevo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Istočno Sarajevo is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$7.15 BAM 12.05

-50.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$35.34 BAM 59.5

-7.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$5.46 BAM 9.20

-9.34%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.79 BAM 3.01

51.40%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$2.00 BAM 3.37

-33.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.40 BAM 2.36

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$2.40 BAM 4.04

21.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$2.12 BAM 3.57

86.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.41 BAM 2.38

28.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.34 BAM 2.26

88.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$2.09 BAM 3.52

-44.50%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$3.29 BAM 5.54

-25.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$10.15 BAM 17.11

44.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$8.28 BAM 13.95

-47.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$13.05 BAM 21.99

-6.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$1.54 BAM 2.59

149.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.63 BAM 2.75

-4.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.72 BAM 2.89

64.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.74 BAM 2.93

33.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.08 BAM 1.82

76.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.20 BAM 2.02

83.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.99 BAM 1.67

2.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.93 BAM 1.57

-16.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$3.67 BAM 6.19

-9.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$8.20 BAM 13.82

189.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.08 BAM 1.82

158.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$1.30 BAM 2.20

120.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$1.83 BAM 3.08

-85.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$35.83 BAM 60.4

-77.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$1.43 BAM 2.40

-67.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.78 BAM 1.31

-42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$10.61 BAM 17.87

-42.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.50 BAM 2.53

-47.33%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$23.1K BAM 39.0K

13.08%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$26.0K BAM 43.8K

23.54%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$121 BAM 204

-33.84%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$18.94 BAM 31.91

-78.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$29.07 BAM 48.97

-19.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$29.97 BAM 50.5

229.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$11.02 BAM 18.57

-39.84%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$5.62 BAM 9.47

-26.16%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$154 BAM 259

97.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$3,306 BAM 5,570

100.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$90.7 BAM 153

-38.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$35.26 BAM 59.4

8.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$98.2 BAM 165

-9.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$101 BAM 171

-23.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$219 BAM 369

359.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$194 BAM 327

248.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$269 BAM 454

1178.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$217 BAM 365

840.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$1,826 BAM 3,076

55.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$1,425 BAM 2,401

58.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$725 BAM 1,221

-77.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

3.8

249.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Istočno Sarajevo: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $219 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Istočno Sarajevo pays 339% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $35.00 in Istočno Sarajevo. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $238, with Istočno Sarajevo cheaper for home cooking.

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 Istočno Sarajevo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Istočno Sarajevo differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $962 including rent). Istočno Sarajevo is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Istočno Sarajevo earns 339% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $219 in Istočno Sarajevo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 27% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Istočno Sarajevo – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $962 in Istočno Sarajevo versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Istočno Sarajevo but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Istočno Sarajevo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Istočno Sarajevo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Istočno Sarajevo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.