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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $878 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,385 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,893 in Arad, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 60% more than Arad, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Arad is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$9.18 RON 42.13

-62.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$33.99 RON 156

-4.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$6.84 RON 31.39

-29.24%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.27 RON 10.42

21.15%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.56 RON 7.18

-11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.75 RON 8.05

-57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.09 RON 9.57

43.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.70 RON 12.40

42.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.50 RON 6.89

16.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.22 RON 5.61

101.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.54 RON 7.06

-24.03%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.94 RON 13.50

-17.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$7.87 RON 36.14

84.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.32 RON 19.83

0.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$8.78 RON 40.29

36.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$1.21 RON 5.53

207.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.59 RON 7.32

2.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.73 RON 7.92

58.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.69 RON 7.78

32.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.77 RON 3.55

149.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.87 RON 3.99

162.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.06 RON 4.85

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.86 RON 3.97

-16.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$5.74 RON 26.33

-42.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$5.29 RON 24.29

338.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.03 RON 4.75

169.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.64 RON 7.53

66.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.91 RON 4.17

-70.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$23.47 RON 108

-65.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.90 RON 4.14

-46.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.87 RON 3.97

-51.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$9.34 RON 42.89

-33.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.57 RON 7.20

-48.41%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$28.4K RON 130.5K

-6.42%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$26.8K RON 122.9K

20.26%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$108 RON 498

-27.71%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$8.55 RON 39.25

-52.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$7.65 RON 35.10

218.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$38.59 RON 177

155.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$23.10 RON 106

-72.55%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$5.79 RON 26.59

-31.09%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$227 RON 1,041

34.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$6,930 RON 31.8K

-4.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$39.65 RON 182

36.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$38.74 RON 178

-2.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$80.7 RON 371

7.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$70.1 RON 322

8.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$317 RON 1,457

212.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$216 RON 990

211.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$565 RON 2,594

497.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$437 RON 2,004

369.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$1,456 RON 6,685

92.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$1,105 RON 5,074

101.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$847 RON 3,889

-80.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.5

104.31%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Arad: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $317 in Arad. 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 407% higher in Arad, 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $34.00 in Arad. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $185 in Arad – so Arad wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Arad: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 60% more than Arad, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,316 in Arad. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $34.00 in Arad. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $878 in Arad. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arad, where all-in costs run around $878, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Arad it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Arad costs $878 versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali. 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 Arad. 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.