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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,992 in Aarau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,743 in Aarau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $6,494 in Aarau, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 53% cheaper than Aarau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Aarau sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 5%, Aarau by 125%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$29.96 CHF 24.18

-88.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$109 CHF 87.9

-70.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$19.11 CHF 15.42

-73.78%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$6.32 CHF 5.10

-55.38%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$3.44 CHF 2.77

-60.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$4.79 CHF 3.87

-84.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$8.03 CHF 6.48

-63.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$7.53 CHF 6.07

-47.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$2.09 CHF 1.68

-14.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$3.34 CHF 2.69

-26.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$2.54 CHF 2.05

-54.72%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$7.00 CHF 5.65

-65.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$29.56 CHF 23.86

-51.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$36.28 CHF 29.28

-88.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$43.45 CHF 35.07

-72.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.87 CHF 2.32

26.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$2.16 CHF 1.74

-27.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.85 CHF 2.30

-2.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$5.67 CHF 4.58

-60.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$2.32 CHF 1.87

-14.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$2.08 CHF 1.68

9.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$2.58 CHF 2.08

-59.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.46 CHF 1.18

-45.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$10.26 CHF 8.28

-68.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$10.25 CHF 8.27

129.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.24 CHF 1.81

29.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.19 CHF 1.76

26.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$4.24 CHF 3.42

-93.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$146 CHF 118

-94.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$8.69 CHF 7.02

-94.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$5.46 CHF 4.41

-91.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$88.1 CHF 71.1

-93.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$2.21 CHF 1.79

-61.09%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$39.9K CHF 32.2K

-33.32%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$42.1K CHF 34.0K

-22.64%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$248 CHF 200

-68.09%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$42.84 CHF 34.57

-90.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$58.4 CHF 47.16

-59.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$66.9 CHF 54.0

47.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$41.17 CHF 33.23

-84.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$23.13 CHF 18.67

-82.66%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$3,170 CHF 2,558

-90.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$25.3K CHF 20.4K

-73.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$92.2 CHF 74.4

-42.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$54.6 CHF 44.06

-30.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$112 CHF 90.5

-20.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$173 CHF 140

-55.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$1,280 CHF 1,033

-20.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$1,027 CHF 829

-33.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$2,430 CHF 1,961

42.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$2,081 CHF 1,679

0.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$10.3K CHF 8,315

-73.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$12.0K CHF 9,704

-80.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$6,998 CHF 5,647

-97.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

2.5

431.20%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Aarau: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,280 in Aarau. 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 4175% higher in Aarau, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $109 in Aarau. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $635 – making Ubud, Bali 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 Aarau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Aarau costs about 115% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $4,488 in Aarau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 1642% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $297 per month in Ubud, Bali and $3,170 in Aarau. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,392, than in Aarau at $2,992. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Aarau it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,392 versus $2,992 in Aarau. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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