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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,063 in Arue.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,551 in Arue.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,039 in Arue.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 34% more expensive than Arue, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Arue is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.40 CFPF 143

29.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$4.96 CFPF 506

-49.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$3.82 CFPF 391

-69.63%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$11.58 CFPF 1,183

-78.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$57.7 CFPF 5,895

-74.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$27.32 CFPF 2,790

-84.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$24.66 CFPF 2,519

-50.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$5.27 CFPF 539

-27.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$2.97 CFPF 304

-47.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$7.99 CFPF 816

-64.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$8.66 CFPF 885

-73.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$4.34 CFPF 444

-55.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$2.89 CFPF 295

-23.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$3.80 CFPF 388

-73.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.48 CFPF 151

-47.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$12.07 CFPF 1,233

-72.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$29.51 CFPF 3,015

-19.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$2.95 CFPF 301

-5.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$7.99 CFPF 816

-64.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$167 CFPF 17.1K

-52.19%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$124 CFPF 12.7K

-81.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Arue: May 31, 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 34% 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 $2,129 in Ubud, Bali and $1,594 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 155% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,063 in Arue – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,063 in Arue versus $1,419 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 $1,063 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 34% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.