Cost of Living Comparison Between Menlo Park, CA and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Menlo Park, CA and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,528 in Menlo Park, CA versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,597 in Menlo Park, CA versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,665 in Menlo Park, CA versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Menlo Park, CA is roughly 153% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Menlo Park, CA 157% above, Ubud, Bali 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.45 $25.45

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

655.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$110 $110

$38.59 Rp 680.4K

186.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.89 $11.89

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

115.40%

Cappuccino

$5.50 $5.50

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

108.33%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

84.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

177.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.15 $8.15

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

209.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.90 $7.90

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

84.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

-11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$4.41 $4.41

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

98.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

315.93%

Eggs

$6.80 $6.80

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

225.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.63 $21.63

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

24.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.78 $11.78

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

204.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 $13.03

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

3.82%

Apples (1kg)

$5.66 $5.66

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

56.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

44.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.79 $4.79

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

103.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.78 $5.78

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

180.58%

Potato (1kg)

$3.34 $3.34

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

75.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

34.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.38 $2.38

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

131.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$0.55 Rp 9,781

380.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.52 $7.52

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

234.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 $12.23

$23.81 Rp 419.8K

-48.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

-25.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

-9.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 $4.59

$0.27 Rp 4,803

1600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.18 $3.18

$0.48 Rp 8,490

562.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.46 $2.46

$0.45 Rp 7,865

446.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.94 $39.94

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

598.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

89.47%

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

$29.8K $29.8K

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

21.65%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$32.1K Rp 566.4M

-20.36%

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

$188 $188

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

124.46%

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

$38.48 $38.48

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

495.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.8 $66.8

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

251.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 987.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.3K

Cinema Ticket

$16.79 $16.79

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

292.29%

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

$2,647 $2,647

$487 Rp 8.6M

444.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.0K $37.0K

$5,856 Rp 103.3M

532.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 $51.8

$45.56 Rp 803.3K

13.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.94 $39.94

$36.38 Rp 641.5K

9.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 $89.3

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

8.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 $59.9

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-25.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,135 $3,135

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

180.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,280 $2,280

$701 Rp 12.4M

225.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,214 $6,214

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

75.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$6,513 $6,513

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

269.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.6K $21.6K

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

663.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$15.9K $15.9K

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

595.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,973 $4,973

$170 Rp 3.0M

2828.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

13.78

-55.73%

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

Last update for Menlo Park, CA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,135 in Menlo Park, CA and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Menlo Park, CA pays 2829% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $110 in Menlo Park, CA vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $452 vs $293 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

Menlo Park, CA vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 153% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2829% higher in Menlo Park, CA, 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: $3,135 in Menlo Park, CA versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,647 in Menlo Park, CA versus $487 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $110 in Menlo Park, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,528 in Menlo Park, CA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Menlo Park, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Menlo Park, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Menlo Park, CA 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 153% less than in Menlo Park, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.