Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Kampala Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Kampala

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $720 in Kampala.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,098 in Kampala.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,475 in Kampala.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 91% more expensive than in Kampala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Kampala is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$2.63 UGX 10.2K

26.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$26.64 UGX 102.9K

34.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$7.64 UGX 29.5K

-26.31%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.61 UGX 10.1K

8.05%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.42 UGX 1,638

316.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.28 UGX 1,072

185.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.35 UGX 5,217

125.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.82 UGX 7,042

136.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.78 UGX 3,023

106.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.00 UGX 3,864

127.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.34 UGX 5,181

-12.69%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.51 UGX 5,848

43.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$4.69 UGX 18.1K

275.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$5.09 UGX 19.6K

-20.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$5.30 UGX 20.5K

129.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.16 UGX 8,341

67.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.17 UGX 4,507

40.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.35 UGX 5,214

71.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.24 UGX 4,806

58.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.32 UGX 5,082

39.39%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.36 UGX 5,247

74.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.78 UGX 3,014

34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.56 UGX 2,161

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.58 UGX 9,976

-10.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$8.10 UGX 31.3K

184.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.08 UGX 4,172

116.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.98 UGX 7,652

55.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.82 UGX 3,165

-69.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$46.24 UGX 178.6K

-79.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.55 UGX 2,132

-10.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.32 UGX 1,226

46.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$3.25 UGX 12.6K

72.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.41 UGX 5,452

-42.55%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$7,845 UGX 30.3M

218.83%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$7,825 UGX 30.2M

297.00%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$74.2 UGX 286.6K

11.50%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$12.74 UGX 49.2K

-49.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$37.59 UGX 145.2K

-50.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$58.4 UGX 225.6K

-5.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$6.45 UGX 24.9K

182.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$7.84 UGX 30.3K

-45.15%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$257 UGX 992.8K

92.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$8,416 UGX 32.5M

-29.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$14.99 UGX 57.9K

208.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$13.77 UGX 53.2K

164.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$33.79 UGX 130.6K

138.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$46.41 UGX 179.3K

69.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$523 UGX 2.0M

113.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$181 UGX 697.8K

283.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$1,149 UGX 4.4M

216.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$335 UGX 1.3M

410.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$1,250 UGX 4.8M

120.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$983 UGX 3.8M

133.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$190 UGX 735.2K

-12.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

20.75

-33.59%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Kampala: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $523 in Kampala. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Kampala pays 14% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $27.00 in Kampala for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $156 per month, with Kampala cheaper across the board.

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 Kampala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kampala is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 14% lower in Kampala. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $523 in Kampala. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 88% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Kampala – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $720 in Kampala versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Kampala but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Kampala the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Kampala is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Kampala 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 Kampala gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.