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: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,773 in Aruba.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,890 in Aruba.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $7,008 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 1% above, Aruba 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$17.91 AWG 32.05

-81.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$88.8 AWG 159

-55.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$10.56 AWG 18.90

-46.78%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$5.19 AWG 9.28

-49.13%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$2.55 AWG 4.57

-38.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$2.36 AWG 4.22

-69.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$4.99 AWG 8.92

-45.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$6.93 AWG 12.40

-37.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$2.38 AWG 4.25

-35.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$3.92 AWG 7.02

-41.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$3.85 AWG 6.90

-73.25%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$5.48 AWG 9.80

-61.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$31.76 AWG 56.8

-45.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$6.45 AWG 11.55

-37.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$17.08 AWG 30.57

-27.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$6.14 AWG 10.99

-39.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.84 AWG 5.09

-42.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$6.81 AWG 12.18

-66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$8.02 AWG 14.34

-75.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$3.92 AWG 7.02

-53.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$3.85 AWG 6.88

-41.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$5.82 AWG 10.42

-82.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$3.77 AWG 6.75

-85.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$17.78 AWG 31.82

-87.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$18.18 AWG 32.53

27.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$5.15 AWG 9.21

-44.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$2.53 AWG 4.53

-90.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$2.44 AWG 4.37

-68.85%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$237 AWG 423

-65.27%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$131 AWG 235

-95.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$86.1 AWG 154

-78.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$296 AWG 530

65.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$18.0K AWG 32.2K

-67.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$65.4 AWG 117

-45.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$118 AWG 211

-32.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$654 AWG 1,171

74.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$1,397 AWG 2,500

-50.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$3,164 AWG 5,662

11.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$3,976 AWG 7,115

-57.01%

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

$1,924 AWG 3,442

-91.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Aruba: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $654 in Aruba. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Aruba pays 1036% 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: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $89.0 in Aruba for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $529 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 101% in total monthly costs ($1,379 vs $2,773 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1036% 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: $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $654 in Aruba. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 81% higher in Aruba. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,773 in Aruba – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,773 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 101% less than in Aruba. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.