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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $451 in Zanzibar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $702 in Zanzibar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $954 in Zanzibar.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 215% more expensive than Zanzibar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Zanzibar is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$4.87 TZS 12.6K

-26.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$22.38 TZS 57.7K

46.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$5.83 TZS 15.0K

-15.09%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.18 TZS 5,635

24.31%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.60 TZS 1,539

123.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.31 TZS 792

125.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$1.94 TZS 5,011

50.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.77 TZS 7,141

42.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.77 TZS 4,574

2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.74 TZS 1,897

240.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.87 TZS 2,236

33.33%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.87 TZS 7,396

-14.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$2.28 TZS 5,872

89.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$4.75 TZS 12.2K

155.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.92 TZS 7,541

31.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.13 TZS 2,908

38.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$0.75 TZS 1,943

277.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$0.59 TZS 1,530

294.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.93 TZS 2,386

105.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.58 TZS 4,062

39.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.74 TZS 1,916

36.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.46 TZS 1,184

69.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$2.11 TZS 5,442

57.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$9.55 TZS 24.6K

148.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.75 TZS 4,520

59.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$1.31 TZS 3,387

118.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.65 TZS 1,664

-58.46%

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

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$2.76 TZS 7,125

121.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.20 TZS 3,101

-34.17%

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

$10.46 TZS 27.0K

-61.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$22.74 TZS 58.6K

3.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$21.24 TZS 54.8K

364.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$9.42 TZS 24.3K

-55.94%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$13.26 TZS 34.2K

318.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$17.44 TZS 45.0K

119.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$15.26 TZS 39.3K

480.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$13.76 TZS 35.5K

465.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$148 TZS 382.9K

577.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$99.0 TZS 255.4K

582.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$202 TZS 520.2K

1606.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$150 TZS 386.0K

1262.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$38.5K TZS 99.3M

-92.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$11.4K TZS 29.3M

-80.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$324 TZS 834.5K

-48.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

32.80%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $148 in Zanzibar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zanzibar pays 96% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $22.00 in Zanzibar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $138 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 215% 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, Zanzibar earns 96% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $148 in Zanzibar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $451 in Zanzibar – a 215% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 119% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $451 in Zanzibar versus $1,419 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 $451 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 215% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.