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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,218 in Arendal versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,391 in Arendal versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,563 in Arendal versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Arendal is roughly 56% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arendal 66% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.87 NOK 166

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

401.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.4 NOK 700

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

130.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.93 NOK 139

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

201.62%

Cappuccino

$5.17 NOK 48.00

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

90.77%

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

$3.18 NOK 29.50

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

137.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 NOK 28.47

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

337.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.16 NOK 104

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

282.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.17 NOK 94.5

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

156.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.37 NOK 21.98

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

30.94%

White Bread (500g)

$3.06 NOK 28.41

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

21.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.59 NOK 33.39

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

209.48%

Eggs

$4.33 NOK 40.26

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

76.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 NOK 123

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-10.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.42 NOK 143

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

256.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$27.81 NOK 258

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

129.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.44 NOK 31.98

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-10.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NOK 23.40

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

61.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.01 NOK 27.93

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

6.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.75 NOK 44.13

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

103.86%

Potato (1kg)

$2.12 NOK 19.74

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

10.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 NOK 27.17

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

33.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.52 NOK 23.45

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

149.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 NOK 16.52

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

128.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.98 NOK 139

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

351.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.12 NOK 168

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-23.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.33 NOK 30.92

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

19.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.02 NOK 37.37

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

40.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.83 NOK 35.57

$0.27 Rp 4,800

1318.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 NOK 957

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

1183.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$7.88 NOK 73.2

$0.46 Rp 8,150

1613.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 NOK 19.02

$0.45 Rp 8,037

355.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.93 NOK 278

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

390.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.10 NOK 19.55

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

165.82%

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

$34.5K NOK 320.8K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

32.04%

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

$32.7K NOK 304.1K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

1.90%

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

$187 NOK 1,734

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

133.53%

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

$35.07 NOK 326

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

763.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.6 NOK 683

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

212.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.98 NOK 409

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-55.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$53.8 NOK 499

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

710.71%

Cinema Ticket

$11.98 NOK 111

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

188.67%

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

$302 NOK 2,801

$304 Rp 5.4M

-0.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.1K NOK 93.6K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

52.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$95.5 NOK 887

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

71.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$59.1 NOK 549

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

54.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NOK 973

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

18.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$156 NOK 1,449

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

100.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,100 NOK 10.2K

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

9.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 NOK 6,455

$675 Rp 12.1M

2.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 NOK 12.0K

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-62.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 NOK 10.6K

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-43.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,174 NOK 29.5K

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

11.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,170 NOK 20.2K

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-4.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,262 NOK 39.6K

$165 Rp 3.0M

2479.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.6

13.28

-72.89%

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

Last update for Arendal: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,100 in Arendal and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arendal pays 2479% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $75.0 in Arendal vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $459 vs $302 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

Arendal vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arendal and Ubud, Bali differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($2,218 vs $1,419 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Arendal pays 2479% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,100 in Arendal versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $302 in Arendal versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Arendal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,218 in Arendal, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Arendal. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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, Arendal and Ubud, Bali 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Arendal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.