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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $521 in Mbarara, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $826 in Mbarara, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,131 in Mbarara, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 164% more than Mbarara, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Mbarara is 62% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$2.71 UGX 10.5K

22.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$26.08 UGX 100.8K

37.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$7.76 UGX 30.0K

-27.45%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.60 UGX 10.1K

8.46%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.40 UGX 1,540

337.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.28 UGX 1,068

185.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.34 UGX 5,172

126.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.89 UGX 7,298

127.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.52 UGX 1,990

209.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.95 UGX 3,684

138.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.34 UGX 5,169

-12.69%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.59 UGX 6,159

36.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$4.84 UGX 18.7K

264.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.90 UGX 18.9K

-17.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$3.75 UGX 14.5K

224.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.10 UGX 8,110

72.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.16 UGX 4,469

41.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.40 UGX 5,392

65.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.28 UGX 4,957

53.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.25 UGX 4,826

47.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.36 UGX 5,253

74.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.78 UGX 3,011

34.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.55 UGX 2,142

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.64 UGX 10.2K

-12.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$7.75 UGX 29.9K

197.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.08 UGX 4,155

116.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.03 UGX 7,838

51.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.77 UGX 2,980

-67.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.52 UGX 1,991

-5.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.32 UGX 1,224

46.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$3.34 UGX 12.9K

67.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.46 UGX 5,652

-44.52%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$7,861 UGX 30.4M

218.16%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$7,888 UGX 30.5M

293.82%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$73.9 UGX 285.5K

11.94%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$12.57 UGX 48.6K

-48.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$37.93 UGX 146.6K

-50.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$20.17 UGX 77.9K

173.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$7.78 UGX 30.1K

-44.73%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$260 UGX 1.0M

89.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$8,382 UGX 32.4M

-29.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$14.65 UGX 56.6K

215.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$13.84 UGX 53.5K

163.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$34.21 UGX 132.2K

135.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$46.35 UGX 179.1K

70.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$93.6 UGX 361.8K

1089.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$78.3 UGX 302.6K

785.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$252 UGX 975.0K

1341.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$189 UGX 728.4K

808.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

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 Mbarara: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $93.6 in Mbarara. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $26.00 in Mbarara. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $147 – making Mbarara the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Mbarara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 164%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $781 in Mbarara. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mbarara, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $26.00 in Mbarara. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 99% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mbarara, where all-in costs run around $521, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. In Mbarara it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbarara – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mbarara. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.