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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,610 in Arenal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,415 in Arenal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,220 in Arenal.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 11% less than in Arenal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 7% above, Arenal 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$10.75 ₡4,888

-66.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$60.8 ₡27.6K

-46.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$9.99 ₡4,543

-49.25%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$3.73 ₡1,695

-24.13%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$2.06 ₡938

-34.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$1.58 ₡719

-56.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$3.04 ₡1,381

-1.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$4.55 ₡2,067

-15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$2.05 ₡932

-15.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$2.78 ₡1,264

-8.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$2.21 ₡1,005

-46.15%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$3.05 ₡1,386

-20.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$10.04 ₡4,566

46.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$8.93 ₡4,063

-53.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$13.93 ₡6,332

-14.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$4.57 ₡2,078

-19.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.47 ₡667

9.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$4.24 ₡1,930

-36.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$3.58 ₡1,627

-34.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$3.57 ₡1,624

-46.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$3.12 ₡1,420

-29.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.03 ₡469

2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$2.96 ₡1,348

-75.68%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$5.40 ₡2,455

-42.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$22.34 ₡10.2K

5.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.42 ₡1,098

13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.93 ₡1,334

-1.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.97 ₡442

-70.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.80 ₡817

-75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.87 ₡849

-77.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$7.92 ₡3,601

-22.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.41 ₡641

-40.43%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$38.4K ₡17.5M

-31.69%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$32.4K ₡14.7M

0.17%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$93.6 ₡42.6K

-16.25%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$25.87 ₡11.8K

-84.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$59.1 ₡26.9K

-58.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$57.5 ₡26.2K

67.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$24.21 ₡11.0K

-73.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$10.14 ₡4,613

-60.16%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$576 ₡261.8K

-47.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$12.8K ₡5.8M

-48.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$62.9 ₡28.6K

-14.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$51.6 ₡23.5K

-26.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$124 ₡56.5K

-30.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$107 ₡48.9K

-26.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$773 ₡351.3K

31.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$589 ₡267.8K

14.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$1,509 ₡686.4K

124.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$948 ₡430.9K

121.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.17

30.58%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Arenal: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $773 in Arenal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $61.0 in Arenal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $372 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 Arenal: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $2,415 in Arenal to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $773 in Arenal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $576 in Arenal. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $61.0 in Arenal. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,610 in Arenal, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Arenal. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Arenal 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Arenal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.