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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $744 in Cali versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,224 in Cali versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,704 in Cali versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Cali costs roughly 48% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cali is 44% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.65 COP 13.0K

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

2.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.25 COP 104.5K

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-10.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.36 COP 26.3K

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

48.69%

Cappuccino

$1.61 COP 5,754

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-40.59%

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

$0.94 COP 3,353

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-29.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 COP 1,979

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 COP 3,775

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

-63.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 COP 9,130

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

-35.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 COP 4,347

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-32.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 COP 5,465

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-39.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 COP 4,319

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

4.31%

Eggs

$2.46 COP 8,779

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.29 COP 15.3K

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-70.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.47 COP 19.5K

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

26.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.60 COP 27.1K

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-37.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 COP 8,570

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 COP 3,474

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

-37.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.20 COP 4,274

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-57.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 COP 4,548

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-45.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 COP 3,148

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-53.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 COP 3,949

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-49.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 COP 2,679

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

-25.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 COP 2,323

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.90 COP 10.3K

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

-12.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.48 COP 41.0K

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-51.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 COP 3,932

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-60.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 COP 6,584

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

-35.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.67 COP 2,407

$0.27 Rp 4,800

148.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.20 COP 72.1K

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

151.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 COP 5,485

$0.46 Rp 8,150

234.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 COP 6,707

$0.45 Rp 8,037

317.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.80 COP 35.0K

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

60.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.93 COP 3,304

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

17.72%

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

$21.4K COP 76.4M

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

-18.22%

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

$30.3K COP 108.3M

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-5.58%

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

$80.9 COP 289.0K

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

1.25%

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

$8.78 COP 31.4K

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

116.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.99 COP 85.7K

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

2.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.60 COP 70.0K

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-80.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.79 COP 52.8K

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

123.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.87 COP 17.4K

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

17.35%

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

$226 COP 807.0K

$304 Rp 5.4M

-25.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,039 COP 21.6M

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-8.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.7 COP 227.5K

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

14.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.16 COP 157.7K

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

15.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.6 COP 280.5K

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-11.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.5 COP 319.6K

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

14.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 COP 834.7K

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-76.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 COP 665.2K

$675 Rp 12.1M

-72.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$609 COP 2.2M

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-82.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$408 COP 1.5M

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-80.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,101 COP 3.9M

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

-61.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$890 COP 3.2M

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-60.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$494 COP 1.8M

$165 Rp 3.0M

199.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

13.28

-12.80%

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

Last update for Cali: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $234 in Cali and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 199% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $29.00 in Cali vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $302 per month, with Cali 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

Cali vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 91% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Cali pays 199% more on average, 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: $234 in Cali versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $226 in Cali versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 66% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $744 in Cali versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cali 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 Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.