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: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,758 in Arenal.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,795 in Arenal.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,832 in Arenal.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 22% less than in Arenal, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Arenal 28% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$12.46 ₡5,561

-73.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$56.6 ₡25.3K

-30.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$11.17 ₡4,987

-49.69%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$4.38 ₡1,957

-39.73%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$2.52 ₡1,123

-37.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$1.96 ₡873

-63.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$3.05 ₡1,359

-10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$4.33 ₡1,931

-0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$2.35 ₡1,049

-34.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$3.20 ₡1,429

-28.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$2.45 ₡1,094

-57.96%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$3.54 ₡1,579

-40.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$10.76 ₡4,803

60.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$10.27 ₡4,582

-60.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$13.95 ₡6,224

-10.97%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$5.34 ₡2,383

-30.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.66 ₡741

-2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$4.93 ₡2,199

-53.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$4.02 ₡1,792

-50.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$3.78 ₡1,688

-51.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$3.62 ₡1,614

-37.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$1.09 ₡488

-4.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$3.28 ₡1,464

-82.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$6.06 ₡2,704

-63.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$20.51 ₡9,154

13.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$2.83 ₡1,265

-15.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$3.59 ₡1,602

-20.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$1.30 ₡581

-80.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$2.53 ₡1,129

-81.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$1.65 ₡737

-72.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$8.95 ₡3,993

-36.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.51 ₡673

-49.67%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$21.7K ₡9.7M

13.14%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$35.5K ₡15.9M

-12.71%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$102 ₡45.6K

-19.60%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$36.55 ₡16.3K

-82.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$64.2 ₡28.7K

-71.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$69.9 ₡31.2K

-19.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$8.70 ₡3,883

-51.03%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$1,014 ₡452.6K

-51.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$17.0K ₡7.6M

-65.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$72.6 ₡32.4K

-36.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$57.3 ₡25.6K

-37.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$133 ₡59.2K

-40.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$135 ₡60.0K

-39.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$867 ₡387.1K

31.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$580 ₡258.7K

19.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$1,971 ₡879.4K

79.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$1,427 ₡637.0K

19.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.89

55.01%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Arenal: August 18, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $867 in Arenal. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $57.0 in Arenal for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $406 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, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,069 in Ubud, Bali and $2,638 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: $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $867 in Arenal. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $489 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,014 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 $39.00 versus $57.0 in Arenal. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,758 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 27% less than in Arenal. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.