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 $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $548 in Arusha, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $883 in Arusha, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,218 in Arusha, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 150% more than Arusha, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Arusha is 60% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$3.42 TZS 8,986

0.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$27.47 TZS 72.2K

32.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$9.44 TZS 24.8K

-39.51%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$1.77 TZS 4,642

50.85%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.96 TZS 2,513

82.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.33 TZS 875

163.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.03 TZS 2,700

186.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$2.86 TZS 7,510

58.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.97 TZS 2,548

67.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.67 TZS 1,763

247.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.70 TZS 4,458

-34.71%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.73 TZS 4,558

27.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.21 TZS 5,815

67.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$0.77 TZS 2,026

153.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.46 TZS 1,197

315.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.07 TZS 2,811

117.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.79 TZS 2,075

-30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$1.48 TZS 3,880

50.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$0.91 TZS 2,383

165.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$0.98 TZS 2,572

206.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.22 TZS 569

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$7.44 TZS 19.6K

-24.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.34 TZS 3,533

-40.30%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$27.99 TZS 73.6K

191.03%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$8.27 TZS 21.7K

-21.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$46.52 TZS 122.3K

-59.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$63.8 TZS 167.8K

-10.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$4.68 TZS 12.3K

-2.99%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$7,551 TZS 19.9M

-24.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$284 TZS 746.1K

292.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$234 TZS 615.8K

197.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$495 TZS 1.3M

634.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$526 TZS 1.4M

230.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Arusha: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $284 in Arusha. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $27.00 in Arusha. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $64.0 – 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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, $548 in Arusha – roughly 150% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $822 in Arusha. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Arusha, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $27.00 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 $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $548 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 $548, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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 $548 in Arusha to $1,368 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.