Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Arak

For one person, living is cheaper in Arak: $480 a month against $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

65

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index
23

Cost of Living Index in Arak
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Arak Living Index

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Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,349

/mo nomad

Arak

🇮🇷 Iran

$480

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Ubud, Bali versus $480 in Arak.

Ubud, Bali $1,349
Arak $480

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Ubud, Bali versus $755 in Arak.

Ubud, Bali $2,305
Arak $755

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,261 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,030 in Arak.

Ubud, Bali $3,261
Arak $1,030

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 181% more expensive than in Arak, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 60.4K

$3.55 $3.55

-6.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.64 Rp 647.8K

$12.88 $12.88

176.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 Rp 100.6K

$4.09 $4.09

35.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 $0.73

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.57 $0.57

Cappuccino

$2.72 Rp 49.4K

$1.33 $1.33

104.51%

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

$1.70 Rp 30.9K

$0.51 $0.51

233.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.8K

$1.66 $1.66

-54.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 Rp 48.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 Rp 79.6K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 Rp 27.1K

$0.54 $0.54

175.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 Rp 41.4K

$0.58 $0.58

293.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

$1.96 $1.96

-39.29%

Eggs

$2.04 Rp 37.0K

$1.28 $1.28

59.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.70 Rp 321.7K

$2.14 $2.14

727.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 Rp 72.0K

$2.53 $2.53

56.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 Rp 221.6K

$10.31 $10.31

18.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 66.4K

$0.77 $0.77

375.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.6K

$0.94 $0.94

61.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.5K

$0.63 $0.63

253.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.9K

$0.48 $0.48

310.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 33.6K

$0.42 $0.42

340.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 44.1K

$0.44 $0.44

450.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 18.0K

$0.48 $0.48

106.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,332

$0.28 $0.28

82.14%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.76 $0.76

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 $0.55

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 40.4K

$2.52 $2.52

-11.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.24 Rp 404.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 41.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 Rp 54.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,562

$0.10 $0.10

150.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.82 Rp 142.2K

$9.70 $9.70

-19.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,989

$0.25 $0.25

76.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,817

$0.12 $0.12

258.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 Rp 98.3K

$1.02 $1.02

430.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 15.0K

$0.10 $0.10

720.00%

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

$23.8K Rp 433.3M

$50.3K $50.3K

-52.65%

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

$31.7K Rp 577.0M

$35.0K $35.0K

-9.16%

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

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

$10.03 $10.03

688.24%

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

$6.45 Rp 117.2K

$1.43 $1.43

351.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.58 Rp 337.7K

$4.01 $4.01

363.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.48 Rp 899.4K

$9.93 $9.93

398.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.65 Rp 320.8K

$24.64 $24.64

-28.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.27 Rp 77.7K

$1.11 $1.11

284.68%

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

$491 Rp 8.9M

$83.3 $83.3

489.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,674 Rp 103.1M

$2,372 $2,372

139.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.64 Rp 811.4K

$13.59 $13.59

228.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 Rp 635.3K

$8.51 $8.51

310.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 Rp 1.5M

$81.9 $81.9

-2.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$52.1 $52.1

52.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 Rp 20.4M

$294 $294

282.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Rp 12.2M

$210 $210

220.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,565 Rp 64.8M

$781 $781

356.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 Rp 31.3M

$357 $357

382.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,732 Rp 49.6M

$1,369 $1,369

99.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 Rp 41.5M

$647 $647

253.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$375 $375

-56.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

18.5

-25.51%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Arak: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$672 49.8%

Arak

$210 43.7% 68.8% $462

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$288 21.4%

Arak

$96 20% 66.7% $192

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Arak

$65 13.6% 39.4% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Arak

$70 14.6% 34.7% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$104 7.7%

Arak

$15 3.2% 85.1% $89

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$58 4.3%

Arak

$12 2.5% 79.1% $46

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$11 0.9%

Arak

$11 2.3% 4% $0.5

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,125 in Ubud, Bali and $294 in Arak. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Arak pays about 2.3 times more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36 in Ubud, Bali vs $13 in Arak for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $96 per month, with Arak cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇮🇷 Arak

🕒 Local time

07:12 7:12 AM

02:42 2:42 AM

4 h 30 min behind Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

526,200

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

USD USD

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,175 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.5 USD). 1 EUR = 20,233 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

USD exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ubud, Bali Arak 8,360 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight

From you

Ubud, Bali
Arak

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

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

Arak is about 64% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, leisure, and eating out. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 56% lower in Ubud, Bali. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,125 in Ubud, Bali versus $294 in Arak. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you’ll spend $1,349 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $480 in Arak – Arak is about 64% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 19% less than in Arak. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

At $480 in Arak versus $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Arak but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Arak 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, Ubud, Bali and Arak are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.