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: $2,777 in Arendal versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,905 in Arendal versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,034 in Arendal versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Arendal is roughly 99% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Arendal 102% above, Ubud, Bali 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.31 NOK 189

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

502.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$67.5 NOK 629

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

74.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.90 NOK 148

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

188.04%

Cappuccino

$5.55 NOK 51.7

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

110.23%

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

$3.60 NOK 33.54

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

115.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 NOK 31.80

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

342.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$11.90 NOK 111

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

352.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.15 NOK 113

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

183.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.40 NOK 22.33

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

54.84%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 NOK 33.58

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

62.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.95 NOK 36.78

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

249.56%

Eggs

$5.04 NOK 46.95

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

141.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.87 NOK 139

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

-14.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.26 NOK 142

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

294.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$34.60 NOK 322

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

175.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 NOK 33.60

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

-0.28%

Banana (1kg)

$2.83 NOK 26.36

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

81.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.64 NOK 33.90

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

54.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.95 NOK 46.14

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

140.29%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 NOK 24.26

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

36.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.15 NOK 29.32

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

34.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 NOK 25.93

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

169.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 NOK 21.85

$0.55 Rp 9,854

327.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$17.77 NOK 166

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

689.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.84 NOK 138

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

-37.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.85 NOK 35.86

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.43 NOK 41.27

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

58.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.81 NOK 35.49

$0.27 Rp 4,839

1311.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$90.9 NOK 847

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

949.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.40 NOK 59.6

$0.48 Rp 8,554

1233.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.75 NOK 16.35

$0.45 Rp 7,924

288.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$104 NOK 972

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

1723.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.33 NOK 21.69

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

206.58%

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

$48.4K NOK 450.8K

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

97.63%

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

$42.5K NOK 395.8K

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

32.26%

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

$251 NOK 2,337

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

200.24%

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

$35.15 NOK 327

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

444.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.5 NOK 750

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

323.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.73 NOK 352

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

-32.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

Cinema Ticket

$15.95 NOK 149

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

272.66%

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

$324 NOK 3,021

$487 Rp 8.6M

-33.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.4K NOK 134.4K

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

146.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$130 NOK 1,210

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

185.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.60 NOK 416

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

22.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 NOK 1,206

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

57.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$205 NOK 1,912

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

155.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,141 NOK 10.6K

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

2.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,074 NOK 10.0K

$701 Rp 12.5M

53.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,623 NOK 15.1K

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

-54.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,489 NOK 13.9K

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

-15.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,115 NOK 38.3K

$170 Rp 3.0M

2323.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.68

13.78

-66.04%

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

Last update for Arendal: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,141 in Arendal and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arendal pays 2324% 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: $67.0 in Arendal vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $506 vs $293 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 99% in total monthly costs ($2,777 vs $1,396 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2324% higher in Arendal, 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: $1,141 in Arendal versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $324 in Arendal versus $487 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 73% higher in Arendal. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,777 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 99% less than in Arendal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.