Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mbeya and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Mbeya: $426 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $11,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

21

Cost of Living Index in Mbeya
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Mbeya Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Mbeya

🇹🇿 Tanzania

$426

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,353

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Mbeya and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Mbeya and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $426 per month in Mbeya vs $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Mbeya $426
Ubud, Bali $1,353

A couple spends around $656 per month in Mbeya vs $2,297 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Mbeya $656
Ubud, Bali $2,297

A family of three spends $887 per month in Mbeya vs $3,241 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Mbeya $887
Ubud, Bali $3,241

Mbeya is about 69% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Mbeya sits 69% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.68 TZS 59.4K

$34.88 Rp 627.8K

-34.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.77 TZS 20.4K

$5.70 Rp 102.5K

36.32%

Cappuccino

$1.52 TZS 3,989

$2.62 Rp 47.1K

-41.98%

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

$0.37 TZS 958

$1.72 Rp 31.0K

-78.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 TZS 964

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-54.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.72 TZS 1,882

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

-72.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 Rp 78.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 TZS 1,435

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-64.97%

White Bread (500g)

$0.93 TZS 2,430

$2.19 Rp 39.5K

-57.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 TZS 2,414

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

-22.03%

Eggs

$2.32 TZS 6,067

$2.16 Rp 38.8K

7.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.80 TZS 9,949

$17.65 Rp 317.7K

-78.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.72 TZS 9,734

$3.78 Rp 68.0K

-1.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.30 TZS 8,643

$11.95 Rp 215.1K

-72.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 TZS 3,003

$3.60 Rp 64.8K

-68.06%

Banana (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,051

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

-50.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 TZS 2,581

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

-57.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 TZS 1,917

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

-61.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 TZS 2,538

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-45.51%

Onion (1kg)

$0.78 TZS 2,053

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

-66.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 TZS 1,465

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

-44.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 TZS 1,883

$0.53 Rp 9,509

35.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.14 TZS 2,998

$2.29 Rp 41.1K

-50.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.72 TZS 9,744

$22.07 Rp 397.3K

-83.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 TZS 2,045

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

-66.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 TZS 3,038

$2.98 Rp 53.6K

-61.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 TZS 1,036

$0.23 Rp 4,112

73.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.90 Rp 160.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 TZS 2,891

$0.47 Rp 8,466

134.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 TZS 4,834

$0.43 Rp 7,737

330.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 TZS 6,831

$5.47 Rp 98.4K

-52.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 TZS 3,204

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

46.99%

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

$23.9K Rp 429.8M

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

$32.8K Rp 590.1M

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

$23.68 TZS 62.0K

$80.0 Rp 1.4M

-70.40%

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

$18.83 TZS 49.3K

$6.56 Rp 118.1K

187.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$46.09 TZS 120.7K

$18.60 Rp 334.8K

147.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.78 TZS 98.9K

$54.1 Rp 974.1K

-30.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.28 Rp 329.0K

Cinema Ticket

$9.50 TZS 24.9K

$4.25 Rp 76.5K

123.53%

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

$191 TZS 500.6K

$493 Rp 8.9M

-61.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,129 TZS 3.0M

$5,597 Rp 100.7M

-79.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.42 TZS 29.9K

$45.58 Rp 820.4K

-74.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$9.23 TZS 24.2K

$34.96 Rp 629.4K

-73.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$19.08 TZS 50.0K

$77.7 Rp 1.4M

-75.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$26.12 TZS 68.4K

$78.5 Rp 1.4M

-66.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 TZS 297.4K

$1,131 Rp 20.4M

-89.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$76.4 TZS 200.0K

$673 Rp 12.1M

-88.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$187 TZS 491.0K

$3,613 Rp 65.0M

-94.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 TZS 292.3K

$1,702 Rp 30.6M

-93.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,717 Rp 48.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$191 TZS 501.5K

$166 Rp 3.0M

15.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-5.66%

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

Last update for Mbeya: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Mbeya

$115 26.9%

Ubud, Bali

$287 21.2% 151% $173

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mbeya

$89 20.8%

Ubud, Bali

$105 7.8% 18.7% $17

Accommodation & Living

Mbeya

$76 17.9%

Ubud, Bali

$673 49.7% 781% $597

Sport & Entertainment

Mbeya

$57 13.3%

Ubud, Bali

$63 4.6% 10.3% $5.8

Eating Out

Mbeya

$48 * 11.3%

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.9% 121% $58

Clothing & Footwear

Mbeya

$30 7%

Ubud, Bali

$107 7.9% 260% $77

Getting Around

Mbeya

$12 * 2.8%

Ubud, Bali

$12 0.9% 4.4% $0.5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $114 in Mbeya versus $1,131 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 15% higher in Mbeya, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Mbeya versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $115 vs $287 – making Mbeya the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇿 Mbeya

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

15:32 3:32 PM

20:32 8:32 PM

5 h ahead of Mbeya

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

541,603

74,800

💱 Currency

Tanzanian Shilling TZS Sh

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD

10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to TZS – Tanzanian Shilling Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇿 Tanzanian Shilling (Sh)

Tanzanian Shilling exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2,619 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.82 USD). 1 EUR = 2,944 TZS (10,000 TZS = 3.4 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

USD to TZS in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Mbeya Ubud, Bali 8,970 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight

From you

Mbeya
Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 218%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $639 per month in Mbeya and $2,030 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $426 in Mbeya and $1,353 in Ubud, Bali. That's a gap of about 218%.

Kindergarten costs $191 per month in Mbeya and $493 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Mbeya, where all-in costs run around $426, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,353. In Mbeya it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mbeya – 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 Mbeya. 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.