Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Arue

For one person, living is cheaper in Arue: $1,023 a month against $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ubud, Bali outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Arue
🇵🇫 French Polynesia
$1,023
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Arue

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Arue actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,023 in Arue.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,368
  • Arue $1,023

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,513 in Arue.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,314
  • Arue $1,513

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,003 in Arue.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,260
  • Arue $2,003

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 34% more expensive than in Arue, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Arue is 24% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Arue
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 Rp 59.9K
-
-
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.18 Rp 633.2K
-
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.80 Rp 104.5K
-
-
Cappuccino
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
-
-
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
-
-
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
-
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
-
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.30 Rp 77.4K
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Arue
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 Rp 27.1K
$1.39 CFPF 147
7.91%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
$4.55 CFPF 482
-49.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$3.65 CFPF 386
-67.67%
Eggs
$2.14 Rp 38.6K
$11.17 CFPF 1,182
-80.84%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.48 Rp 314.6K
$57.2 CFPF 6,046
-69.41%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.03 Rp 72.5K
$26.22 CFPF 2,774
-84.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 Rp 220.1K
$23.01 CFPF 2,434
-46.85%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 63.9K
$5.30 CFPF 561
-33.02%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$2.80 CFPF 296
-43.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
$7.39 CFPF 781
-69.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.93 Rp 34.7K
$8.57 CFPF 907
-77.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 Rp 33.9K
$4.25 CFPF 450
-55.76%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
$2.86 CFPF 302
-19.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
$3.78 CFPF 400
-73.81%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,475
$1.37 CFPF 145
-61.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
$11.47 CFPF 1,213
-80.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.01 Rp 414.2K
$28.54 CFPF 3,020
-19.38%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 Rp 42.2K
$2.80 CFPF 296
-16.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 Rp 52.4K
$7.34 CFPF 777
-60.35%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Arue
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 Rp 4,315
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.82 Rp 158.7K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,684
-
-
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 Rp 8,233
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 Rp 98.2K
-
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
-
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K Rp 442.2M
-
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K Rp 561.4M
-
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Arue
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
$159 CFPF 16.8K
-47.84%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 116.0K
-
-
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.57 Rp 334.2K
$122 CFPF 12.9K
-84.75%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Arue
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 Rp 1.0M
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.11 Rp 326.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 78.9K
-
-
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Arue
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
-
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,754 Rp 103.6M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Arue
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.19 Rp 831.4K
-
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.33 Rp 636.0K
-
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Arue
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,142 Rp 20.6M
-
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$676 Rp 12.2M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,503 Rp 63.1M
-
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,700 Rp 30.6M
-
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,784 Rp 50.1M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Arue
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
0
-

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Last update for Arue: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$676
Arue
–
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$290
Arue
–
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$109
Arue
–
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$108
Arue
–
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Arue
–
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$65
Arue
–
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$13
Arue
–
Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇵🇫 Arue
🕒 Local time
15:38 3:38 PM
21:38 9:38 PM
18 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
10,000
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

XPF, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

CFP Franc exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 106 XPF (1,000 XPF = 9.45 USD). 1 EUR = 119 XPF (1,000 XPF = 8.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Arue 10,270 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Arue

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Arue?
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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ubud, Bali and in Arue?
You'd need roughly $2,051 in Ubud, Bali and $1,534 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.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or in Arue?
Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 155% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.
How much does it cost to live in Ubud, Bali compared to Arue?
All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,023 in Arue – a 34% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Arue?
At $1,023 in Arue versus $1,368 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Arue?
Both work as nomad bases, but Arue delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,023 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Arue hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Arue?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
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.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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