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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $884 in Arad, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,394 in Arad, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,904 in Arad, rent included.

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

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Arad is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$9.32 RON 42.13

-61.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$35.02 RON 158

-6.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$7.04 RON 31.82

-29.69%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.30 RON 10.41

17.83%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$1.64 RON 7.39

-18.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.78 RON 8.03

-60.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.04 RON 9.21

43.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.77 RON 12.54

42.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.52 RON 6.86

19.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.26 RON 5.69

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.52 RON 6.87

-23.68%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.92 RON 13.22

-15.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$8.11 RON 36.64

81.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$4.28 RON 19.36

0.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$8.65 RON 39.08

40.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$1.18 RON 5.33

225.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.52 RON 6.86

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.65 RON 7.46

71.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.66 RON 7.50

40.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.80 RON 3.62

138.75%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.91 RON 4.13

141.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.02 RON 4.60

-0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.92 RON 4.18

-15.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$5.84 RON 26.38

-43.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$6.23 RON 28.14

281.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$0.99 RON 4.49

181.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$1.59 RON 7.19

79.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.95 RON 4.30

-71.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$23.51 RON 106

-65.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$0.85 RON 3.86

-45.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.87 RON 3.92

-48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$8.98 RON 40.57

-32.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.57 RON 7.07

-49.68%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$28.1K RON 127.0K

-6.94%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$26.6K RON 120.3K

20.68%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$111 RON 504

-28.27%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$8.40 RON 37.98

-51.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$7.84 RON 35.46

200.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$38.80 RON 175

154.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$23.06 RON 104

-71.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$5.67 RON 25.62

-26.81%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$228 RON 1,032

33.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$6,887 RON 31.1K

-3.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$40.72 RON 184

36.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$38.66 RON 175

-0.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$79.9 RON 361

10.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$69.5 RON 314

12.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$320 RON 1,445

214.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$221 RON 1,000

205.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$564 RON 2,550

510.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$429 RON 1,938

375.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$1,484 RON 6,706

91.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$1,097 RON 4,958

106.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$882 RON 3,986

-81.26%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Arad: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $320 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 434% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $35.00 in Arad. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $187 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 $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,326 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $35.00 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 $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $884 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 $884, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. 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 $884 versus $1,419 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.