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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,854 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,992 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $7,129 in Aruba.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 50% less than in Aruba, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 7% above, Aruba 113% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$12.80 AWG 22.91

-72.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$88.5 AWG 158

-63.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$9.87 AWG 17.67

-48.63%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$4.74 AWG 8.49

-40.30%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$2.31 AWG 4.13

-41.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$2.07 AWG 3.70

-66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$4.17 AWG 7.47

-28.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$6.22 AWG 11.13

-38.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$2.40 AWG 4.30

-27.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$3.80 AWG 6.80

-33.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$3.78 AWG 6.77

-68.52%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$5.34 AWG 9.56

-54.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$32.12 AWG 57.5

-54.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$6.41 AWG 11.48

-34.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$17.03 AWG 30.48

-29.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$5.94 AWG 10.63

-37.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$2.84 AWG 5.08

-43.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$6.86 AWG 12.28

-60.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$7.85 AWG 14.06

-70.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$4.08 AWG 7.31

-53.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$3.66 AWG 6.55

-40.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$5.88 AWG 10.52

-81.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$3.78 AWG 6.77

-80.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$17.39 AWG 31.14

-82.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$18.24 AWG 32.66

28.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$5.08 AWG 9.09

-43.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.36 AWG 2.44

-38.24%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$261 AWG 467

-69.91%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$134 AWG 239

-97.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$67.7 AWG 121

-63.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$59.2 AWG 106

63.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$12.75 AWG 22.82

-68.31%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$304 AWG 544

-0.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$18.2K AWG 32.5K

-64.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$49.50 AWG 88.6

8.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$65.3 AWG 117

-41.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$121 AWG 217

-28.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$730 AWG 1,307

38.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$1,394 AWG 2,496

-51.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$3,237 AWG 5,794

4.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$3,971 AWG 7,108

-47.16%

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

$1,946 AWG 3,482

-91.10%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Aruba: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $730 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 1024% 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: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $88.0 in Aruba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $527 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 98% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $2,854 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Aruba earns 1024% less. 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $730 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 77% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,854 in Aruba – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,854 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 98% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.