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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $855 in Lusaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,450 in Lusaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,045 in Lusaka.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 65% more expensive than in Lusaka, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Lusaka is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$7.01 ZMW 128

-50.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$24.68 ZMW 449

31.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$3.70 ZMW 67.3

30.81%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.93 ZMW 35.10

42.49%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.67 ZMW 12.24

105.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.34 ZMW 6.16

120.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$0.94 ZMW 17.14

218.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$1.84 ZMW 33.48

109.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.33 ZMW 24.30

30.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.80 ZMW 14.63

207.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.58 ZMW 28.69

-25.95%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.77 ZMW 32.25

37.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$7.92 ZMW 144

83.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$3.78 ZMW 68.8

15.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$4.74 ZMW 86.2

152.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.57 ZMW 46.79

44.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.57 ZMW 28.62

3.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$2.71 ZMW 49.35

1.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.16 ZMW 21.15

93.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.80 ZMW 32.84

6.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.33 ZMW 24.17

71.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.92 ZMW 16.80

15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.51 ZMW 9.37

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$2.54 ZMW 46.29

29.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$10.63 ZMW 194

118.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.09 ZMW 19.75

155.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.57 ZMW 28.52

73.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.96 ZMW 17.51

-71.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$39.17 ZMW 713

-79.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$2.78 ZMW 50.7

-82.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$1.17 ZMW 21.32

-64.10%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$9.20 ZMW 167

-32.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.19 ZMW 21.75

-31.93%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$7,891 ZMW 143.6K

237.24%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$28.4K ZMW 517.4K

13.23%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$90.7 ZMW 1,651

-13.63%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$53.4 ZMW 972

-92.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$123 ZMW 2,239

-80.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$45.44 ZMW 827

117.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$13.65 ZMW 248

-53.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$4.25 ZMW 77.4

-6.12%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$178 ZMW 3,232

71.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$9,462 ZMW 172.2K

-29.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$18.67 ZMW 340

189.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$17.20 ZMW 313

119.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$84.5 ZMW 1,539

2.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$72.2 ZMW 1,314

5.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$228 ZMW 4,157

334.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$125 ZMW 2,273

438.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,028 ZMW 18.7K

228.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$593 ZMW 10.8K

245.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$1,886 ZMW 34.3K

48.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$14.2K ZMW 258.2K

-84.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$287 ZMW 5,215

-41.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-46.88%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $228 in Lusaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lusaka pays 72% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $25.00 in Lusaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $178 per month, with Lusaka 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 Lusaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Lusaka differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $855 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 72% lower in Lusaka. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $228 in Lusaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $855 in Lusaka – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 383% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $855 in Lusaka versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lusaka but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Lusaka 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 Lusaka 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 Lusaka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.