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: $1,090 in Cali versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Cali versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,208 in Cali versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Cali costs roughly 22% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cali is 21% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.70 COP 24.3K

$3.37 Rp 59.8K

128.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.08 COP 120.1K

$38.59 Rp 683.8K

-1.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.61 COP 27.2K

$5.52 Rp 97.8K

55.98%

Cappuccino

$1.62 COP 5,111

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

-38.64%

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

$1.26 COP 3,973

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

-24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 COP 2,755

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

12.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 COP 10.2K

$2.63 Rp 46.7K

23.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 COP 12.1K

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

-10.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 COP 4,969

$1.55 Rp 27.4K

1.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.99 COP 6,282

$2.22 Rp 39.4K

-10.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.51 COP 4,765

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

33.63%

Eggs

$2.83 COP 8,921

$2.09 Rp 37.0K

35.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.43 COP 20.3K

$17.39 Rp 308.2K

-63.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.06 COP 22.3K

$3.87 Rp 68.5K

82.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.39 COP 32.8K

$12.55 Rp 222.4K

-17.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.49 COP 11.0K

$3.62 Rp 64.1K

-3.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 COP 4,456

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

-9.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 COP 5,542

$2.35 Rp 41.7K

-25.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 COP 5,522

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

-15.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.45 COP 4,584

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

-23.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.57 COP 4,949

$2.34 Rp 41.4K

-32.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 COP 3,640

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

11.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.04 COP 3,272

$0.55 Rp 9,830

89.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.70 COP 11.7K

$2.25 Rp 39.9K

64.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 COP 41.8K

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

-44.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 COP 4,569

$2.31 Rp 41.0K

-37.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 COP 7,990

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

-9.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 COP 3,422

$0.27 Rp 4,827

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.95 COP 94.5K

$8.66 Rp 153.5K

245.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.84 COP 2,662

$0.48 Rp 8,533

75.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,904

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.4K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 COP 4,114

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

71.05%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.9M

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

$35.7K COP 112.6M

$32.1K Rp 569.3M

11.08%

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

$114 COP 358.3K

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

35.89%

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

$13.49 COP 42.6K

$6.46 Rp 114.4K

108.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.05 COP 98.0K

$18.99 Rp 336.6K

63.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.87 COP 91.1K

$56.0 Rp 992.0K

-48.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.9K

Cinema Ticket

$8.43 COP 26.6K

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

96.96%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.8M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.3 COP 253.3K

$45.56 Rp 807.4K

76.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.4 COP 171.6K

$36.38 Rp 644.7K

49.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$124 COP 391.8K

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

51.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 343.7K

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

35.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$641 COP 2.0M

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

-42.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 COP 944.9K

$701 Rp 12.4M

-57.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 COP 5.0M

$3,537 Rp 62.7M

-55.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$493 COP 1.6M

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

-72.03%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 COP 1.9M

$170 Rp 3.0M

248.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

13.78

-15.97%

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

Last update for Cali: September 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $641 in Cali and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 248% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Cali vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $244 vs $293 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 248% higher in Cali, 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: $641 in Cali versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Cali runs roughly 246% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,090 in Cali versus $1,396 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 28% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.