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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,435 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,252 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,334 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,069 per month in Johannesburg vs $3,273 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Johannesburg costs about 3% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Johannesburg and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Johannesburg by 4%, Ubud, Bali by 2%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.61 R 202

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

274.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.05 R 736

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

19.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.51 R 120

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

36.05%

Cappuccino

$2.49 R 39.82

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

-5.68%

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

$1.26 R 20.23

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

-24.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.07

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

22.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.07 R 33.11

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

-21.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.24

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

-35.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 R 21.79

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

-12.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 R 20.57

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

-41.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.27

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

61.95%

Eggs

$2.68 R 42.86

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

28.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 R 149

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

-46.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.00 R 96.0

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

55.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.15 R 146

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

-27.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 R 35.97

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

-37.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 R 31.25

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 R 29.09

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

-22.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.13 R 34.08

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

3.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.79 R 28.66

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

-5.79%

Onion (1kg)

$1.87 R 29.95

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

-20.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 R 24.14

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

46.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 R 21.44

$0.55 Rp 9,809

143.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.40 R 54.4

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

51.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.05 R 96.8

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

-74.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 R 29.76

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

-19.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R 39.14

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 R 34.08

$0.27 Rp 4,816

688.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$93.9 R 1,501

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

983.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.90 R 14.43

$0.48 Rp 8,515

87.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 R 15.10

$0.45 Rp 7,887

108.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.16 R 243

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

165.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.54 R 24.56

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

102.63%

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

$36.4K R 581.6K

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

48.54%

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

$32.9K R 525.6K

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

2.30%

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

$222 R 3,552

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

165.83%

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

$38.73 R 619

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

499.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.69 R 635

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

109.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 R 612

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

-31.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.46 R 279

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

-6.23%

Cinema Ticket

$7.99 R 128

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

86.68%

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

$248 R 3,964

$487 Rp 8.6M

-49.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,745 R 91.9K

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

-1.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 R 958

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

31.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$48.00 R 768

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

31.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 R 1,748

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

33.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 R 1,760

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

36.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$546 R 8,731

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-51.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$443 R 7,081

$701 Rp 12.4M

-36.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,107 R 17.7K

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

-68.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$939 R 15.0K

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

-46.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,020 R 16.3K

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

-63.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$773 R 12.4K

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

-66.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,787 R 28.6K

$170 Rp 3.0M

952.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

13.78

-20.83%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $546 in Johannesburg versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 953% higher in Johannesburg, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Johannesburg versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Johannesburg vs $293 in Ubud, Bali – so Johannesburg wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Johannesburg costs about 3% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Getting Around. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,152 per month in Johannesburg and $2,095 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Johannesburg and $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,435 in Johannesburg and $1,396 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,396, than in Johannesburg at $1,435. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Johannesburg it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,396 versus $1,435 in Johannesburg. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Johannesburg makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.