Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Forest, CA and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,331 a month against $3,057 in Lake Forest, CA, rent and utilities included – about $20,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

146

Cost of Living Index in Lake Forest, CA
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Lake Forest, CA Living Index
64

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Lake Forest, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,057

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,331

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lake Forest, CA and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lake Forest, CA and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,057 per month in Lake Forest, CA vs $1,331 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Lake Forest, CA $3,057
Ubud, Bali $1,331

A couple spends around $4,627 per month in Lake Forest, CA vs $2,255 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Lake Forest, CA $4,627
Ubud, Bali $2,255

A family of three spends $6,196 per month in Lake Forest, CA vs $3,180 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Lake Forest, CA $6,196
Ubud, Bali $3,180

Lake Forest, CA costs about 130% more than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Lake Forest, CA sits 126% above the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.56 $24.56

$3.38 Rp 61.2K

626.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.7 $99.7

$34.65 Rp 628.6K

187.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.72 $11.72

$5.57 Rp 101.1K

110.41%

Cappuccino

$5.84 $5.84

$2.62 Rp 47.5K

122.90%

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

$3.06 $3.06

$1.54 Rp 27.9K

98.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$0.64 Rp 11.6K

281.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.68 $8.68

$2.67 Rp 48.4K

225.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.62 $9.62

$4.26 Rp 77.3K

125.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.46 Rp 26.5K

-21.23%

White Bread (500g)

$5.00 $5.00

$2.29 Rp 41.6K

118.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$1.11 Rp 20.1K

344.14%

Eggs

$5.44 $5.44

$2.10 Rp 38.1K

159.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.64 $12.64

$15.94 Rp 289.2K

-20.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.80 $15.80

$3.88 Rp 70.4K

307.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 $14.18

$11.40 Rp 206.8K

24.39%

Apples (1kg)

$5.19 $5.19

$3.55 Rp 64.4K

46.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.54 Rp 27.9K

16.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$2.23 Rp 40.5K

87.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.33 $6.33

$1.97 Rp 35.8K

221.32%

Potato (1kg)

$3.36 $3.36

$1.86 Rp 33.7K

80.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.42 Rp 43.9K

14.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.02 Rp 18.6K

90.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 $2.30

$0.52 Rp 9,475

342.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.63 $11.63

$2.20 Rp 39.9K

428.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.97 $14.97

$21.79 Rp 395.2K

-31.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.71 $1.71

$2.33 Rp 42.2K

-26.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.97 Rp 53.9K

-10.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,542

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 148.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.57 $3.57

$0.44 Rp 7,941

711.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.47 Rp 8,489

306.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.48 $35.48

$5.60 Rp 101.6K

533.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

92.77%

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

$27.9K $27.9K

$24.4K Rp 443.5M

14.03%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$31.7K Rp 575.0M

-15.68%

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

$271 $271

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

249.73%

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

$72.6 $72.6

$6.14 Rp 111.5K

1082.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$80.2 $80.2

$18.92 Rp 343.1K

323.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$99.2 $99.2

$51.0 Rp 925.0K

94.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 Rp 331.0K

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 $15.18

$4.38 Rp 79.5K

246.58%

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

$1,716 $1,716

$492 Rp 8.9M

248.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.9K $35.9K

$12.2K Rp 221.7M

193.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.5 $72.5

$45.16 Rp 819.2K

60.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.98 $39.98

$34.89 Rp 632.9K

14.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.9 $80.9

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

3.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$163 $163

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

109.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,127 $2,127

$1,078 Rp 19.5M

97.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,502 $1,502

$665 Rp 12.1M

125.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,202 $3,202

$3,510 Rp 63.7M

-8.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,761 $2,761

$1,671 Rp 30.3M

65.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,048 $8,048

$2,340 Rp 42.4M

243.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,904 $6,904

$2,236 Rp 40.6M

208.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,348 $6,348

$166 Rp 3.0M

3716.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.56

13.78

-52.39%

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

Last update for Lake Forest, CA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Lake Forest, CA

$1.5K 49.1%

Ubud, Bali

$665 50% 55.7% $837

Groceries & Markets

Lake Forest, CA

$442 14.5%

Ubud, Bali

$279 21% 36.8% $163

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lake Forest, CA

$424 13.9%

Ubud, Bali

$103 7.7% 75.8% $321

Eating Out

Lake Forest, CA

$386 12.6%

Ubud, Bali

$106 8% 72.6% $281

Clothing & Footwear

Lake Forest, CA

$160 5.2%

Ubud, Bali

$106 8% 33.7% $54

Sport & Entertainment

Lake Forest, CA

$130 4.2%

Ubud, Bali

$60 4.5% 53.9% $70

Getting Around

Lake Forest, CA

$13 * 0.4%

Ubud, Bali

$12 0.9% 8.8% $1.2

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,127 in Lake Forest, CA versus $1,078 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 in Lake Forest, CA are about 38 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Lake Forest, CA versus $35 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $442 vs $279 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Lake Forest, CA

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

23:26 11:26 PM

15:26 3:26 PM

16 h ahead of Lake Forest, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

19,367

74,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18,140 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,384 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR).

IDR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Lake Forest, CA Ubud, Bali 13,930 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Lake Forest, CA
Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Lake Forest, CA vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,057 in Lake Forest, CA, $1,331 in Ubud, Bali – Ubud, Bali comes out roughly 56% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,586 per month in Lake Forest, CA and $1,996 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,078 there versus $2,127 in Lake Forest, CA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,057 in Lake Forest, CA and $1,331 in Ubud, Bali. That makes Ubud, Bali about 56% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,716 per month in Lake Forest, CA and $492 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,057 in Lake Forest, CA and $1,331 in Ubud, Bali. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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