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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $652 in Arequipa, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,071 in Arequipa, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,490 in Arequipa, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 116% more than Arequipa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Arequipa is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$4.07 PEN 13.78

-15.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$27.88 PEN 94.5

16.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$5.47 PEN 18.52

-11.52%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.58 PEN 8.73

6.59%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.82 PEN 2.76

68.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.37 PEN 1.25

102.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.24 PEN 7.59

33.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$6.11 PEN 20.70

-36.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.55 PEN 5.25

12.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.27 PEN 4.29

93.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.29 PEN 4.36

-9.30%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.07 PEN 7.00

17.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$5.57 PEN 18.87

160.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$5.27 PEN 17.87

-17.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$7.58 PEN 25.68

58.05%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$1.46 PEN 4.96

154.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.18 PEN 3.99

38.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.22 PEN 4.14

124.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$0.78 PEN 2.63

187.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.59 PEN 2.01

225.42%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.58 PEN 1.97

293.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.45 PEN 1.52

135.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.72 PEN 2.44

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$5.05 PEN 17.10

-34.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$5.21 PEN 17.65

345.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.48 PEN 8.39

12.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.20 PEN 7.47

24.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.27 PEN 0.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$2.09 PEN 7.08

-77.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$2.04 PEN 6.92

-79.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$12.92 PEN 43.79

-51.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.62 PEN 5.48

-50.00%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$18.7K PEN 63.5K

42.11%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$25.4K PEN 85.9K

26.97%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$39.23 PEN 133

99.72%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$10.33 PEN 34.99

-60.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$30.48 PEN 103

-20.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$21.96 PEN 74.4

349.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$8.17 PEN 27.70

-22.40%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$4.46 PEN 15.11

-10.54%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$59.9 PEN 203

408.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$6,380 PEN 21.6K

4.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$37.74 PEN 128

43.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$22.29 PEN 75.5

69.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$63.2 PEN 214

37.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$56.5 PEN 191

35.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$244 PEN 826

307.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$157 PEN 533

328.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$546 PEN 1,851

517.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$390 PEN 1,322

425.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$2,023 PEN 6,856

38.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$994 PEN 3,369

123.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$649 PEN 2,198

-74.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-11.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Arequipa: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $244 in Arequipa. 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 289% higher in Arequipa, 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $28.00 in Arequipa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $171 – making Arequipa the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Arequipa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 116% more than Arequipa, 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $977 in Arequipa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arequipa, 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $28.00 in Arequipa. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 74% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Arequipa, where all-in costs run around $652, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Arequipa 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. Arequipa costs $652 versus $1,408 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 Arequipa. 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.