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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,862 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,957 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $7,052 in Aruba.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 51% less than in Aruba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Aruba 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.6K

$12.88 AWG 23.05

-73.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 577.1K

$90.1 AWG 161

-64.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 89.1K

$9.96 AWG 17.82

-49.80%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.3K

$4.74 AWG 8.49

-40.51%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

$2.32 AWG 4.14

-40.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$2.08 AWG 3.72

-64.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$4.28 AWG 7.66

-30.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.8K

$6.07 AWG 10.86

-34.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$2.29 AWG 4.10

-21.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$3.79 AWG 6.78

-35.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$3.79 AWG 6.78

-68.34%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

$5.55 AWG 9.94

-56.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 256.6K

$31.39 AWG 56.2

-54.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 76.4K

$6.46 AWG 11.55

-33.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.6K

$17.21 AWG 30.80

-31.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.4K

$5.96 AWG 10.66

-36.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$2.90 AWG 5.20

-43.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.9K

$7.13 AWG 12.75

-60.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.3K

$8.16 AWG 14.61

-72.30%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.6K

$4.09 AWG 7.31

-51.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

$3.78 AWG 6.76

-41.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

$5.88 AWG 10.52

-81.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$3.81 AWG 6.82

-80.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.7K

$17.73 AWG 31.73

-82.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 424.4K

$17.89 AWG 32.02

33.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.5K

$5.04 AWG 9.02

-44.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,755

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 149.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,082

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,624

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 106.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.38 AWG 2.47

-42.03%

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

$25.8K Rp 459.9M

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

$31.8K Rp 566.8M

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$256 AWG 459

-68.49%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.7K

$131 AWG 235

-96.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 429.8K

$66.2 AWG 119

-63.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$58.9 AWG 105

66.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.9K

$13.09 AWG 23.42

-69.14%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$302 AWG 540

-1.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 117.4M

$17.6K AWG 31.5K

-62.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 982.6K

$50.7 AWG 90.7

8.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 686.2K

$63.8 AWG 114

-39.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$118 AWG 212

-27.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.6M

$739 AWG 1,323

33.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$1,387 AWG 2,483

-52.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.4M

$3,245 AWG 5,806

6.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.4M

$3,992 AWG 7,144

-48.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$1,932 AWG 3,458

-91.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

89.71%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Aruba: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $739 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 1042% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $90.0 in Aruba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $528 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 Aruba: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Aruba differ by about 105% in total monthly costs ($1,394 vs $2,862 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1042% lower in Aruba. 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: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $739 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,862 in Aruba – a 105% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,862 in Aruba, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Aruba. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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 Aruba 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 105% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.