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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $581 in Zanzibar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $872 in Zanzibar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,163 in Zanzibar.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 140% more expensive than in Zanzibar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Zanzibar is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$4.70 TZS 12.4K

-28.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$21.77 TZS 57.2K

77.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$5.50 TZS 14.5K

0.36%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$2.13 TZS 5,598

23.94%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$0.63 TZS 1,649

165.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.31 TZS 805

148.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$1.93 TZS 5,067

36.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$2.58 TZS 6,772

65.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$2.07 TZS 5,438

-25.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$0.75 TZS 1,978

196.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$0.86 TZS 2,251

31.40%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$2.68 TZS 7,052

-22.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$7.66 TZS 20.1K

127.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$2.26 TZS 5,939

71.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$6.07 TZS 16.0K

106.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$2.92 TZS 7,665

23.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$1.11 TZS 2,919

40.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$0.74 TZS 1,951

217.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$0.58 TZS 1,528

255.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$0.98 TZS 2,565

93.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$1.55 TZS 4,079

50.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.74 TZS 1,946

39.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$0.48 TZS 1,269

14.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$2.17 TZS 5,697

3.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$9.59 TZS 25.2K

148.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$1.55 TZS 4,062

49.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$1.36 TZS 3,567

105.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$0.29 TZS 759

-6.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$3.81 TZS 10.0K

-87.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

$0.74 TZS 1,951

-39.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$2.62 TZS 6,884

118.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.16 TZS 3,039

-34.48%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$49.2K TZS 129.3M

-34.67%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$73.7 TZS 193.8K

13.32%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$11.50 TZS 30.2K

-43.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$48.70 TZS 128.0K

-61.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$29.70 TZS 78.1K

88.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$9.66 TZS 25.4K

-55.69%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$13.13 TZS 34.5K

246.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$16.74 TZS 44.0K

117.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$15.38 TZS 40.4K

432.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$12.98 TZS 34.1K

519.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$150 TZS 393.4K

646.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$101 TZS 264.6K

596.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$203 TZS 534.6K

1639.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$149 TZS 392.4K

1080.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

$37.5K TZS 98.6M

-92.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

$11.6K TZS 30.4M

-80.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$312 TZS 820.9K

-45.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

37.80%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $150 in Zanzibar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zanzibar pays 84% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $22.00 in Zanzibar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $166 per month, with Zanzibar cheaper across the board.

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 Zanzibar: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zanzibar wins on cost – living expenses run 140% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zanzibar the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 84% lower in Zanzibar. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $150 in Zanzibar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $581 in Zanzibar – a 140% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 76% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $581 in Zanzibar versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zanzibar but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Zanzibar the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Zanzibar delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $581 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zanzibar hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Zanzibar 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 Zanzibar gentler on the wallet – expenses run 140% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.