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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $200 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $357 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $514 in Arusha, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 604% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Arusha is 85% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$3.38 TZS 8,877

2.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$28.02 TZS 73.5K

15.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$9.16 TZS 24.0K

-47.16%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$1.74 TZS 4,574

58.05%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.43 TZS 1,127

220.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.33 TZS 878

127.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$1.08 TZS 2,832

176.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.83 TZS 7,424

36.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$0.64 TZS 1,691

171.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$0.57 TZS 1,492

331.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.89 TZS 2,325

31.46%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$1.72 TZS 4,500

41.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$0.75 TZS 1,967

198.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$0.41 TZS 1,066

368.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$0.98 TZS 2,572

132.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.46 TZS 1,217

56.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.19 TZS 506

42.11%

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

$1.93 TZS 5,061

-78.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$7.81 TZS 20.5K

-20.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.19 TZS 3,125

-31.93%

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

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$9.46 TZS 24.8K

-56.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$50.7 TZS 133.1K

-52.03%

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

$3.76 TZS 9,879

6.12%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$10.2K TZS 26.9M

-35.12%

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

$289 TZS 757.2K

1069.51%

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 Arusha: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $28.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $35.00 – 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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $200 in Arusha – roughly 604% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $300 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 $32.00 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $200 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 $200, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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 $200 in Arusha to $1,408 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.