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 $1,149 per month in Johannesburg vs $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,813 per month in Johannesburg vs $2,585 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,476 per month in Johannesburg vs $3,763 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Johannesburg is about 18% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Johannesburg sits 14% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.15 R 184

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

223.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.18 R 746

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

39.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.89 R 80.7

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

1.03%

Cappuccino

$2.17 R 35.74

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

-21.09%

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

$0.99 R 16.29

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

-28.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 R 12.70

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

2.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.68 R 44.16

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

-10.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 R 42.80

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

-32.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R 19.12

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

-33.33%

White Bread (500g)

$1.09 R 18.00

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

-55.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.65 R 27.24

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

41.03%

Eggs

$2.45 R 40.46

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 R 139

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

-41.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.77 R 78.7

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

9.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.56 R 108

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

-45.24%

Apples (1kg)

$1.67 R 27.52

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

-55.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 R 25.00

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

-7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.58

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

-45.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.53

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-28.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.66

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

-22.40%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 R 22.98

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

-39.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.09 R 17.96

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

2.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 15.52

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

30.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.16 R 52.1

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

-3.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.04 R 99.7

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

-73.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R 21.41

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-53.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 R 27.66

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

-38.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 R 28.34

$0.27 Rp 4,786

537.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$71.3 R 1,176

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

778.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.10 R 18.23

$0.48 Rp 8,675

129.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.96 R 15.90

$0.42 Rp 7,545

128.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 R 67.4

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

-34.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 21.15

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

58.02%

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

$22.2K R 366.1K

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

-16.64%

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

$23.5K R 388.6K

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

-26.85%

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

$118 R 1,940

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

50.06%

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

$40.44 R 667

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

893.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.11 R 695

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

73.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.88 R 559

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-65.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.59 R 224

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

114.35%

Cinema Ticket

$7.07 R 117

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

77.19%

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

$204 R 3,366

$305 Rp 5.5M

-33.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,903 R 80.9K

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

-26.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 R 839

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

-6.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.65 R 555

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

-11.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 R 1,524

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 R 1,308

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

3.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 R 6,830

$992 Rp 17.8M

-58.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 R 6,028

$673 Rp 12.1M

-45.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$907 R 15.0K

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

-73.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$694 R 11.4K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-66.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,043 R 17.2K

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

-62.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$761 R 12.6K

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

-65.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 R 28.6K

$167 Rp 3.0M

938.42%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $414 in Johannesburg versus $992 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 938% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $184 in Johannesburg vs $297 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 22% 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 $1,724 per month in Johannesburg and $2,112 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 $32.00 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 $1,149 in Johannesburg and $1,408 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 $1,149, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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 $1,149 versus $1,408 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.