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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $907 in Lusaka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,534 in Lusaka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,161 in Lusaka.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 54% more expensive than in Lusaka, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Lusaka is 34% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$5.70 ZMW 109

-40.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$31.91 ZMW 609

20.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$5.31 ZMW 101

3.95%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$2.98 ZMW 57.0

-11.41%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$0.82 ZMW 15.73

103.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.47 ZMW 9.02

63.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$1.36 ZMW 25.95

93.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$2.34 ZMW 44.68

82.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.86 ZMW 35.53

-16.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$1.25 ZMW 23.79

77.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$2.19 ZMW 41.74

-48.40%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$2.05 ZMW 39.17

1.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$10.75 ZMW 205

61.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$6.54 ZMW 125

-40.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$6.75 ZMW 129

85.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$3.55 ZMW 67.9

1.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$2.50 ZMW 47.66

-37.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$3.72 ZMW 71.0

-36.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$1.59 ZMW 30.34

29.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$2.74 ZMW 52.3

-30.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$1.97 ZMW 37.63

18.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.15 ZMW 21.91

-10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$0.83 ZMW 15.77

-33.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$3.22 ZMW 61.4

-30.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$10.52 ZMW 201

126.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$1.48 ZMW 28.18

56.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$2.47 ZMW 47.26

13.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$1.02 ZMW 19.56

-73.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

$52.1 ZMW 995

-83.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$2.67 ZMW 51.1

-82.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

$1.56 ZMW 29.78

-71.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$5.23 ZMW 99.9

9.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.58 ZMW 30.13

-51.90%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

$7,791 ZMW 148.8K

214.24%

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$27.7K ZMW 529.1K

15.96%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$83.7 ZMW 1,598

-0.12%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$11.07 ZMW 211

-41.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$56.7 ZMW 1,083

-66.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$56.4 ZMW 1,076

-0.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

$15.97 ZMW 305

16.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$6.37 ZMW 122

-32.81%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$147 ZMW 2,802

231.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

$16.6K ZMW 317.2K

-64.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$24.76 ZMW 473

84.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$16.00 ZMW 306

127.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$47.84 ZMW 914

71.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$77.1 ZMW 1,472

4.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$389 ZMW 7,424

187.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$183 ZMW 3,492

283.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$1,118 ZMW 21.3K

216.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$596 ZMW 11.4K

195.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

$1,896 ZMW 36.2K

49.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

$5,285 ZMW 100.9K

-56.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$336 ZMW 6,414

-49.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-52.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lusaka: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $389 in Lusaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lusaka pays 98% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $32.00 in Lusaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $249 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 54% in total monthly costs ($1,396 vs $907 including rent). Lusaka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 98% 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: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $389 in Lusaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $907 in Lusaka – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lusaka runs roughly 501% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $907 in Lusaka versus $1,396 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 54% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.