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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $681 in Maseru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,098 in Maseru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,515 in Maseru.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 109% more expensive than Maseru, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Maseru is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$11.24 LSL 183

-68.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$24.79 LSL 403

32.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$10.96 LSL 178

-54.84%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.76 LSL 28.51

53.98%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.32 LSL 21.52

1.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.75 LSL 12.16

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$1.95 LSL 31.62

49.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$2.22 LSL 36.00

78.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$0.99 LSL 16.13

82.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.71 LSL 11.57

254.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$2.18 LSL 35.42

-46.79%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.37 LSL 22.32

79.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$7.17 LSL 116

105.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$5.56 LSL 90.3

-22.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$5.71 LSL 92.7

112.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$1.66 LSL 27.04

131.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$2.10 LSL 34.14

-25.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$2.53 LSL 41.15

11.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$2.18 LSL 35.39

6.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.49 LSL 24.14

28.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.51 LSL 24.58

45.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.37 LSL 22.18

-26.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.78 LSL 12.72

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$4.85 LSL 78.8

-31.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$7.26 LSL 118

227.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$0.96 LSL 15.64

190.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$1.44 LSL 23.35

98.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.70 LSL 11.33

-61.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$28.09 LSL 456

-71.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$0.64 LSL 10.47

-28.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.61 LSL 9.98

-26.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$10.04 LSL 163

-39.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.14 LSL 18.56

-30.70%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$20.0K LSL 324.3K

30.96%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$15.3K LSL 248.9K

109.57%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$13.60 LSL 221

-70.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$31.41 LSL 510

-25.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$21.63 LSL 351

356.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$48.66 LSL 790

524.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$1,124 LSL 18.2K

488.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$43.80 LSL 711

26.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$39.16 LSL 636

-2.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$98.9 LSL 1,606

-10.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$139 LSL 2,259

-44.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$140 LSL 2,271

619.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$72.5 LSL 1,177

831.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$396 LSL 6,434

768.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$157 LSL 2,552

1198.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$386 LSL 6,272

635.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$528 LSL 8,573

328.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$643 LSL 10.4K

-74.28%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Maseru: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $140 in Maseru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Maseru pays 289% 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 $25.00 in Maseru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $184 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

Ubud, Bali and Maseru differ by about 109% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $681 including rent). Maseru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Maseru earns 289% 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 $140 in Maseru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Maseru – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $681 in Maseru – a 109% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $681 in Maseru versus $1,419 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.

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 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.

Expats usually find Maseru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 109% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.