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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,287 in Arecibo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,036 in Arecibo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,785 in Arecibo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 9% more expensive than in Arecibo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Arecibo is 6% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

$12.05 $12.05

-72.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

$85.4 $85.4

-54.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

$8.31 $8.31

-33.57%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

$3.40 $3.40

-22.35%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

$1.87 $1.87

-10.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$1.45 $1.45

-46.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

$3.06 $3.06

-14.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

$5.01 $5.01

-14.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$1.87 $1.87

-17.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$3.36 $3.36

-33.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

$2.00 $2.00

-43.50%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

$4.57 $4.57

-54.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

$12.57 $12.57

38.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

$9.40 $9.40

-58.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

$13.13 $13.13

-4.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

$5.18 $5.18

-30.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

$2.59 $2.59

-39.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

$4.91 $4.91

-52.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

$4.84 $4.84

-57.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$3.70 $3.70

-48.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$3.89 $3.89

-39.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$3.43 $3.43

-69.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,854

$1.57 $1.57

-64.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

$12.06 $12.06

-81.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

$15.71 $15.71

51.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

$3.06 $3.06

-24.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

$3.92 $3.92

-28.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,839

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

$39.73 $39.73

-78.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,554

$2.44 $2.44

-80.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,924

$1.53 $1.53

-70.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

$42.75 $42.75

-86.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.89 $0.89

-14.61%

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

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

$40.6K $40.6K

-39.69%

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

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

$27.7K $27.7K

15.98%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$324 $324

-74.20%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

$69.2 $69.2

-90.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

$64.2 $64.2

-70.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

$10.35 $10.35

-58.65%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$820 $820

-40.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

$12.3K $12.3K

-52.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

$56.5 $56.5

-19.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

$62.0 $62.0

-41.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

$110 $110

-25.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$112 $112

-28.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$1,192 $1,192

-85.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.55

110.38%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Arecibo: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Arecibo pays 602% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $85.0 in Arecibo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $394 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

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 Arecibo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arecibo is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 602% lower in Arecibo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 35% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Arecibo – a meal for two runs $85.0 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,287 in Arecibo versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Arecibo but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Arecibo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Arecibo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Arecibo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Arecibo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.