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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $670 in Maseru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,115 in Maseru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,561 in Maseru.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 110% more expensive than in Maseru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Maseru is 50% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Maseru
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.45 Rp 62.1K
$11.12 LSL 182
-68.97%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.34 Rp 581.1K
$24.74 LSL 406
30.72%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.84 Rp 87.1K
$11.04 LSL 181
-56.16%
Cappuccino
$2.75 Rp 49.4K
$1.80 LSL 29.47
52.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 Rp 24.9K
$1.27 LSL 20.90
8.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 Rp 13.5K
$0.80 LSL 13.07
-6.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.99 Rp 53.8K
$1.99 LSL 32.62
50.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 Rp 69.2K
$2.21 LSL 36.23
74.21%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Maseru
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 Rp 31.2K
$0.99 LSL 16.16
75.76%
White Bread (500g)
$2.46 Rp 44.2K
$0.76 LSL 12.47
223.68%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.17 Rp 21.0K
$2.20 LSL 36.09
-46.82%
Eggs
$2.43 Rp 43.7K
$1.35 LSL 22.18
80.00%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.50 Rp 260.6K
$6.93 LSL 114
109.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.35 Rp 78.2K
$5.64 LSL 92.6
-22.87%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.98 Rp 215.3K
$5.54 LSL 90.8
116.25%
Apples (1kg)
$3.72 Rp 66.8K
$1.61 LSL 26.41
131.06%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 Rp 29.2K
$2.05 LSL 33.64
-20.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.74 Rp 49.3K
$2.47 LSL 40.58
10.93%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.3K
$2.21 LSL 36.30
1.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 Rp 34.5K
$1.42 LSL 23.36
35.21%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 Rp 40.9K
$1.47 LSL 24.12
55.10%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 19.1K
$1.32 LSL 21.61
-19.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 Rp 12.9K
$0.85 LSL 13.90
-15.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.29 Rp 59.0K
$4.89 LSL 80.3
-32.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.19 Rp 416.8K
$7.08 LSL 116
227.54%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 Rp 49.9K
$1.01 LSL 16.62
175.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
$1.37 LSL 22.54
99.27%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Maseru
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,786
$0.71 LSL 11.60
-61.97%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.11 Rp 145.7K
$27.72 LSL 455
-70.74%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,675
$0.64 LSL 10.49
-25.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,545
$0.63 LSL 10.30
-33.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.22 Rp 111.8K
$10.12 LSL 166
-38.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$1.14 LSL 18.77
-28.95%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K Rp 478.2M
$19.9K LSL 325.9K
33.93%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K Rp 578.5M
$15.3K LSL 251.2K
110.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Maseru
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
-
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.07 Rp 73.1K
$13.53 LSL 222
-69.92%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.33 Rp 437.1K
$31.63 LSL 519
-23.08%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Maseru
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.6 Rp 1.8M
$21.63 LSL 355
355.89%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.34 Rp 113.9K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$3.99 Rp 71.6K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Maseru
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 Rp 5.5M
$47.85 LSL 785
537.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,642 Rp 119.4M
$1,104 LSL 18.1K
501.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Maseru
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.1 Rp 972.9K
$42.18 LSL 692
28.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.81 Rp 679.4K
$38.98 LSL 639
-3.00%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 Rp 1.6M
$97.7 LSL 1,602
-11.08%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.4 Rp 1.4M
$138 LSL 2,266
-44.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Maseru
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$992 Rp 17.8M
$143 LSL 2,338
595.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$71.6 LSL 1,174
840.09%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,375 Rp 60.7M
$402 LSL 6,586
740.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,050 Rp 36.8M
$159 LSL 2,603
1191.87%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,805 Rp 50.4M
$391 LSL 6,415
617.03%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,227 Rp 40.0M
$533 LSL 8,733
318.20%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Maseru
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$167 Rp 3.0M
$631 LSL 10.3K
-73.53%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
8.5
56.24%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Maseru: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $143 in Maseru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maseru pays 278% 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 Maseru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $183 per month, with Maseru 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 Maseru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in Maseru?
Ubud, Bali and Maseru differ by about 110% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $670 including rent). Maseru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 278% lower in Maseru. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Maseru?
Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $143 in Maseru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Maseru – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ubud, Bali or Maseru?
All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $670 in Maseru – a 110% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $670 in Maseru versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maseru but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Maseru the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Maseru?
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.
Is Ubud, Bali or Maseru safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Maseru are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or Maseru?
Expats usually find Maseru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 110% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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