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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $422 in Zawiya.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $694 in Zawiya.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $967 in Zawiya.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 234% more expensive than in Zawiya, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Zawiya is 68% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Zawiya
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.45 Rp 62.1K
$2.73 LYD 17.41
26.37%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.34 Rp 581.1K
$18.45 LYD 118
75.28%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.84 Rp 87.1K
$3.75 LYD 23.89
29.07%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.53 LYD 3.40
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.66 LYD 4.23
-
Cappuccino
$2.75 Rp 49.4K
$0.48 LYD 3.03
472.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 Rp 24.9K
$0.46 LYD 2.91
200.00%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 Rp 13.5K
$0.11 LYD 0.67
581.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.99 Rp 53.8K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 Rp 69.2K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Zawiya
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 Rp 31.2K
$1.03 LYD 6.54
68.93%
White Bread (500g)
$2.46 Rp 44.2K
$0.23 LYD 1.47
969.57%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.17 Rp 21.0K
$1.18 LYD 7.49
-0.85%
Eggs
$2.43 Rp 43.7K
$1.17 LYD 7.48
107.69%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.50 Rp 260.6K
$4.99 LYD 31.76
190.58%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.35 Rp 78.2K
$3.30 LYD 21.04
31.82%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.98 Rp 215.3K
$10.39 LYD 66.2
15.30%
Apples (1kg)
$3.72 Rp 66.8K
$2.06 LYD 13.11
80.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 Rp 29.2K
$1.33 LYD 8.49
22.56%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.74 Rp 49.3K
$0.75 LYD 4.81
265.33%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.3K
$0.53 LYD 3.36
322.64%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 Rp 34.5K
$0.62 LYD 3.94
209.68%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 Rp 40.9K
$0.33 LYD 2.12
590.91%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 19.1K
$0.38 LYD 2.43
178.95%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 Rp 12.9K
$0.17 LYD 1.10
323.53%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
-
$0.76 LYD 4.83
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.68 LYD 4.31
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.70 LYD 4.47
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.29 Rp 59.0K
$1.85 LYD 11.76
77.84%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.19 Rp 416.8K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 Rp 49.9K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Zawiya
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,786
$0.91 LYD 5.78
-70.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.11 Rp 145.7K
$46.79 LYD 298
-82.67%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,675
$0.90 LYD 5.74
-46.67%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,545
$0.89 LYD 5.66
-52.81%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.22 Rp 111.8K
$2.77 LYD 17.62
124.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.03 LYD 0.18
2600.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K Rp 478.2M
$13.7K LYD 87.2K
94.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K Rp 578.5M
$16.4K LYD 104.7K
95.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Zawiya
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$32.61 LYD 208
140.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.07 Rp 73.1K
$6.29 LYD 40.07
-35.29%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.33 Rp 437.1K
$14.17 LYD 90.2
71.70%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Zawiya
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.6 Rp 1.8M
$20.19 LYD 129
388.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.34 Rp 113.9K
$4.68 LYD 29.82
35.47%
Cinema Ticket
$3.99 Rp 71.6K
$4.50 LYD 28.69
-11.33%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Zawiya
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 Rp 5.5M
$52.3 LYD 333
483.01%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,642 Rp 119.4M
$908 LYD 5,786
631.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Zawiya
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.1 Rp 972.9K
$21.44 LYD 137
152.52%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.81 Rp 679.4K
$34.92 LYD 222
8.28%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 Rp 1.6M
$32.12 LYD 205
170.36%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.4 Rp 1.4M
$36.80 LYD 234
107.47%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Zawiya
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$992 Rp 17.8M
$106 LYD 674
837.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$69.9 LYD 445
862.28%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,375 Rp 60.7M
$199 LYD 1,268
1595.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,050 Rp 36.8M
$136 LYD 864
1412.39%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,805 Rp 50.4M
$467 LYD 2,975
500.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,227 Rp 40.0M
$38.16 LYD 243
5735.90%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Zawiya
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$167 Rp 3.0M
$253 LYD 1,613
-34.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
17.5
-24.11%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Zawiya: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $106 in Zawiya. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zawiya pays 52% 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 $18.00 in Zawiya for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $115 per month, with Zawiya 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 Zawiya: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Zawiya?
Zawiya wins on cost – living expenses run 234% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zawiya the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Zawiya?
On paper, salaries run 52% lower in Zawiya. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali compared to Zawiya?
Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $106 in Zawiya. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Zawiya?
Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $52.3 in Zawiya. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or in Zawiya?
Supermarket bills run roughly 159% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Zawiya?
At $422 in Zawiya versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zawiya but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Zawiya the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Zawiya?
Both work as nomad bases, but Zawiya delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $422 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zawiya hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Zawiya?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Zawiya are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Zawiya gentler on the wallet – expenses run 234% 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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