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 $1,179 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,810 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,540 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,442 per month in Johannesburg vs $3,660 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Johannesburg is about 17% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Johannesburg sits 12% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.02 R 180

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

209.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.02 R 735

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

37.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 R 80.1

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

-0.81%

Cappuccino

$2.27 R 37.04

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

-16.24%

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

$0.99 R 16.13

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

-26.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R 12.63

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 R 42.97

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

-9.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.53 R 41.29

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

-36.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.19 R 19.34

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

-34.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 R 17.22

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

-57.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.70 R 27.70

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

46.55%

Eggs

$2.52 R 41.07

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.36 R 136

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

-43.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 R 76.3

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

8.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.67 R 109

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

-45.06%

Apples (1kg)

$1.68 R 27.36

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

-56.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.14

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.38

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

-47.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 R 25.88

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

-31.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.28

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

-25.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 R 23.84

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

-33.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.28

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.32

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

12.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.03 R 49.51

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

-8.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 R 99.7

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

-74.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 R 22.12

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-51.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 R 27.24

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

-41.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 27.99

$0.27 Rp 4,848

537.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 R 1,125

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

758.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R 17.95

$0.46 Rp 8,230

139.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 R 15.43

$0.45 Rp 8,116

111.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.07 R 66.4

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

-33.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 20.94

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

62.03%

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

$22.6K R 368.5K

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

-13.64%

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

$24.4K R 397.6K

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

-24.14%

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

$119 R 1,937

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

48.47%

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

$39.96 R 652

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

884.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.32 R 707

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

84.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.66 R 549

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-65.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.96 R 228

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

110.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.40 R 121

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

78.31%

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

$206 R 3,368

$304 Rp 5.5M

-32.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,959 R 80.9K

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

-25.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.3 R 836

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

-7.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.03 R 555

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

-11.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 R 1,500

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

3.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 R 1,286

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

1.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$419 R 6,845

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

-58.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$372 R 6,063

$675 Rp 12.2M

-44.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 R 15.0K

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

-73.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$718 R 11.7K

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

-64.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,063 R 17.3K

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

-62.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$765 R 12.5K

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

-66.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,714 R 28.0K

$165 Rp 3.0M

937.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

13.28

-13.33%

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

Last update for Johannesburg: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $419 in Johannesburg versus $1,006 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 937% higher in Johannesburg, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $45.00 in Johannesburg versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $183 in Johannesburg vs $302 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

Ubud, Bali costs about 20% more than Johannesburg, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,768 per month in Johannesburg and $2,129 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Johannesburg, 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 $45.00 in Johannesburg and $33.00 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 $1,179 in Johannesburg and $1,419 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 Johannesburg, where all-in costs run around $1,179, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Johannesburg it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Johannesburg costs $1,179 versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali. 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 Johannesburg. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.