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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $439 in Zanzibar.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $701 in Zanzibar.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $962 in Zanzibar.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 220% more expensive than in Zanzibar, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Zanzibar is 67% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

-27.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$22.31 TZS 58.5K

44.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$5.84 TZS 15.3K

-17.12%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.27 TZS 5,963

21.15%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.60 TZS 1,587

130.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.34 TZS 880

120.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$1.90 TZS 4,978

57.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.69 TZS 7,051

43.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.70 TZS 4,452

2.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$0.73 TZS 1,921

236.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.87 TZS 2,292

34.48%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$2.87 TZS 7,534

-15.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$2.36 TZS 6,194

84.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

151.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$2.94 TZS 7,715

26.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.19 TZS 3,116

36.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$0.80 TZS 2,101

242.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$0.56 TZS 1,471

300.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$0.94 TZS 2,475

104.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.50 TZS 3,946

52.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.79 TZS 2,068

34.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.50 TZS 1,311

44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$2.02 TZS 5,289

62.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$9.65 TZS 25.3K

140.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.79 TZS 4,690

55.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$1.31 TZS 3,438

108.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.63 TZS 1,666

-57.14%

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

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$2.77 TZS 7,270

124.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.16 TZS 3,036

-30.17%

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

$10.36 TZS 27.2K

-60.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$22.93 TZS 60.2K

6.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$21.02 TZS 55.2K

369.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$9.71 TZS 25.5K

-58.91%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$13.39 TZS 35.1K

304.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$17.69 TZS 46.4K

113.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$15.19 TZS 39.9K

471.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$13.73 TZS 36.0K

456.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$149 TZS 390.6K

566.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$101 TZS 266.1K

563.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$202 TZS 529.6K

1572.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$150 TZS 392.5K

1270.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$37.5K TZS 98.5M

-92.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$11.5K TZS 30.1M

-80.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$316 TZS 829.5K

-47.18%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Zanzibar: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $149 in Zanzibar. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zanzibar pays 89% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $22.00 in Zanzibar for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $139 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 220% 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 89% 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $149 in Zanzibar. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $439 in Zanzibar – a 220% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 114% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $439 in Zanzibar versus $1,408 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 $439 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 220% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.