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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $201 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $358 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 605% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Arusha is 85% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$3.40 TZS 8,767

4.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$27.94 TZS 72.1K

17.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$9.09 TZS 23.4K

-45.54%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.70 TZS 4,382

59.41%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.43 TZS 1,113

211.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.31 TZS 799

125.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$1.08 TZS 2,790

170.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.98 TZS 7,677

32.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$0.63 TZS 1,634

187.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.60 TZS 1,554

320.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.91 TZS 2,336

27.47%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.70 TZS 4,384

44.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$0.79 TZS 2,027

194.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.41 TZS 1,048

365.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.00 TZS 2,571

120.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.47 TZS 1,212

65.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.19 TZS 497

42.11%

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

$1.94 TZS 4,992

-76.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$7.50 TZS 19.3K

-18.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.23 TZS 3,184

-35.77%

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

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

-56.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$50.3 TZS 129.7K

-53.22%

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

$3.97 TZS 10.2K

4.53%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$10.4K TZS 26.9M

-36.70%

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

$294 TZS 759.3K

1068.98%

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 Arusha: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $28.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $36.00 – making Arusha the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Arusha: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, $201 in Arusha – roughly 605% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $302 in Arusha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $28.00 in Arusha. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $201 in Arusha. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Arusha, where all-in costs run around $201, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Arusha it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $201 in Arusha to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Arusha. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.