Dar es Salaam vs Ubud

Real cost of living, rent, internet, safety and visa terms for both cities, side by side — then open the interactive tool to weight them against your own priorities.

Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
🇹🇿Tanzania

Dar es Salaam

56Freedom Score#92Global rank$1,500Per month

Tanzania's Indian Ocean hub — warm Swahili coast, a booming port-city energy, and the gateway to Zanzibar and safari country with an easy e-visa.

Ubud, Indonesia
🇮🇩Indonesia

Ubud

76Freedom Score#32Global rank$2,102Per month

Bali's spiritual heart — rice terraces, yoga, and a world-leading coworking scene set in lush jungle at low tropical prices.

The short answer

Compare these two in the full toolBoth cities pre-loaded — add your income and priorities to get a personal match score

Cost of living

Monthly figures for one person. Rent, meals and coworking are measured values, not shares of the total budget.

ExpenseDar es SalaamUbud
Comfortable budgetper month, all in$1,500✓$2,102
Rent, 1BR city centre$700✓$945
Meal, mid-range$12$12
Coworking deskper monthn.a.$189
Cost of living indexlower is cheaper60.046.7✓

Quality of life

Scored 0–100 on the same attributes the match engine weights, so these agree with the interactive tool.

MeasureDar es SalaamUbud
Safety
45
49
Healthcare
53
45
Walkability
42
50
English spoken
52
60
Food & dining
55
75
Nightlife
58
55
Outdoors
36
92
Nomad community
38
85
Climate quality
68
84
Public transit
40
30

Scores, connectivity and paperwork

MeasureDar es SalaamUbud
Freedom Score56/10076/100✓
Global rankof 100 cities#92#32✓
Internet25 Mbps30 Mbps✓
Average temperature79°F77°F
Air quality65/100✓45/100
Airport connectivity52/10070/100✓
Nomad visaE-visa 90dIndonesia visa
Headline tax rateon local income20%24%

Which should you choose?

Choose Dar es Salaam if runs $602/mo cheaper, rent is $245/mo lower and the headline tax rate is lower.

Choose Ubud if internet is faster at 30 Mbps, it scores higher on safety (49 vs 45), it is more walkable and English is more widely spoken.

What each city is known for

Dar es Salaam

  • Indian Ocean Swahili coast
  • Gateway to Zanzibar and safaris
  • E-visa on arrival
  • Growing, bustling port city

Ubud

  • Huge nomad & wellness community — instant social circle
  • Tropical jungle setting with rice terraces and temples
  • 0% tax on foreign income for most nomads
  • Coworking density rivals any island on earth

Frequently asked questions

Which is better for digital nomads: Dar es Salaam or Ubud?
Ubud scores higher on the Freedom Score (76/100 against 56/100), which makes it the stronger all-round base. That is an average, though — if cost, climate or community is what actually decides it for you, the tables above will point the other way as often as not.
Which is cheaper: Dar es Salaam or Ubud?
Dar es Salaam is cheaper. A comfortable monthly budget is $1,500 against $2,102, a difference of $602 a month or about $7,224 a year. Rent is the biggest single line: $700/mo in Dar es Salaam versus $945/mo in Ubud.
Which is safer: Dar es Salaam or Ubud?
Ubud scores higher on safety, 49/100 against 45/100. Safety scores blend crime levels, political stability and healthcare access, and they describe a city as a whole — individual neighbourhoods vary far more than the headline number suggests.
How fast is the internet in Dar es Salaam and Ubud?
Dar es Salaam averages 25 Mbps and Ubud averages 30 Mbps, so Ubud has the headroom if you push large files or run video calls all day.
What visa would I need for Dar es Salaam or Ubud?
Dar es Salaam sits in Tanzania (E-visa 90d) and Ubud in Indonesia (Indonesia visa). Requirements, income floors and processing times change often, so check the visa and residency guide before you commit to either.
Open the interactive comparison

Related comparisons

Barcelona vs Dar es SalaamDar es Salaam vs LisbonDar es Salaam vs PhuketAmsterdam vs Dar es SalaamBarcelona vs UbudLisbon vs UbudPhuket vs UbudAmsterdam vs Ubud
Dar es Salaam city guideUbud city guideCompare all citiesCost of livingVisas & residencyTax intelligenceBanking & financeRelocation playbooks

YourLifeMatch — your life, perfectly placed. About · Privacy · Terms · Contact

Cost, connectivity and quality-of-life figures come from the YourLifeMatch city dataset. Where a value is not confirmed it reads n.a. rather than an estimate. Figures are for planning, not professional advice.