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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,062 in Arue.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,574 in Arue.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,087 in Arue.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 33% more expensive than in Arue, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Arue is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.39 CFPF 144

25.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$4.83 CFPF 502

-49.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$3.95 CFPF 411

-70.38%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$11.60 CFPF 1,207

-79.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$57.4 CFPF 5,974

-74.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$27.36 CFPF 2,847

-84.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$24.70 CFPF 2,570

-51.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$5.57 CFPF 580

-33.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$2.85 CFPF 296

-42.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$7.86 CFPF 818

-65.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$8.92 CFPF 928

-74.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$4.38 CFPF 456

-56.16%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$2.87 CFPF 298

-20.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$3.81 CFPF 396

-72.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.41 CFPF 147

-48.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$12.06 CFPF 1,255

-72.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$28.67 CFPF 2,983

-19.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$2.98 CFPF 311

-6.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$7.75 CFPF 806

-64.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$164 CFPF 17.1K

-52.27%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$125 CFPF 13.0K

-80.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Arue: July 11, 2026

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 Arue: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Arue wins on cost – living expenses run 33% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Arue the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,112 in Ubud, Bali and $1,593 in Arue 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.

Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 158% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,062 in Arue – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,062 in Arue versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Arue but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Arue the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Arue delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,062 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Arue hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Arue 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 Arue gentler on the wallet – expenses run 33% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.