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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $439 in Zanzibar versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

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

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

Living in Zanzibar costs roughly 69% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 TZS 12.5K

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

38.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.31 TZS 58.5K

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

-31.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.84 TZS 15.3K

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

20.66%

Cappuccino

$2.27 TZS 5,963

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

-17.45%

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

$0.60 TZS 1,587

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

-56.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 TZS 880

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

-54.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.90 TZS 4,978

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

-36.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TZS 7,051

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

-30.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.70 TZS 4,452

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-2.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 TZS 1,921

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

-70.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 TZS 2,292

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

-25.64%

Eggs

$2.87 TZS 7,534

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

18.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.36 TZS 6,194

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

-45.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.76 TZS 12.5K

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

-60.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 TZS 7,715

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

-20.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.19 TZS 3,116

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

-26.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 TZS 2,101

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

-70.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 TZS 1,471

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

-75.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 TZS 2,475

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

-51.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 TZS 3,946

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

-34.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.79 TZS 2,068

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

-25.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 TZS 1,311

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-30.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.02 TZS 5,289

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

-38.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.65 TZS 25.3K

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

-58.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 TZS 4,690

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

-35.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 TZS 3,438

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

-52.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 TZS 1,666

$0.27 Rp 4,765

133.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,636

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,511

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.77 TZS 7,270

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

-55.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 TZS 3,036

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

43.21%

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

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

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

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

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)

$10.36 TZS 27.2K

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

154.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.93 TZS 60.2K

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

-5.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.02 TZS 55.2K

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-78.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

Cinema Ticket

$9.71 TZS 25.5K

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

143.36%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.39 TZS 35.1K

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

-75.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.69 TZS 46.4K

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

-53.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$15.19 TZS 39.9K

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-82.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$13.73 TZS 36.0K

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-82.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$149 TZS 390.6K

$992 Rp 17.7M

-84.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$101 TZS 266.1K

$673 Rp 12.0M

-84.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$202 TZS 529.6K

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

-94.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 TZS 392.5K

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

-92.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$37.5K TZS 98.5M

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

1238.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$11.5K TZS 30.1M

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

415.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$316 TZS 829.5K

$167 Rp 3.0M

89.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-24.70%

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

Last update for Zanzibar: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $149 in Zanzibar and $992 in Ubud, Bali. 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: $22.00 in Zanzibar vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $139 vs $297 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

Zanzibar vs Ubud, Bali: 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.

Average pay runs 89% higher in Zanzibar, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $149 in Zanzibar versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $439 per month in Zanzibar versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – 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, Zanzibar and Ubud, Bali 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.