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: $3,611 in Menlo Park, CA versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,620 in Menlo Park, CA versus $2,582 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $9,629 in Menlo Park, CA versus $3,757 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Menlo Park, CA is roughly 156% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Menlo Park, CA 169% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.14 $30.14

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

781.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$91.5 $91.5

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

177.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.05 $12.05

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

137.20%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

75.53%

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

$2.51 $2.51

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

83.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.36 $1.36

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

91.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.86 $7.86

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

164.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.18 $8.18

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

109.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.40 $1.40

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

-20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$4.57 $4.57

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

81.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

161.98%

Eggs

$6.53 $6.53

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

180.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.21 $11.21

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

-22.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.20 $11.20

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

156.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.82 $12.82

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

6.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.69 $4.69

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

22.77%

Banana (1kg)

$2.18 $2.18

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

35.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

61.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.03 $5.03

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

125.56%

Potato (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

51.05%

Onion (1kg)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

57.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

107.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

241.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.55 $8.55

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

168.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.88 $11.88

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

-48.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

-38.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

-12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 $4.59

$0.29 Rp 5,022

1482.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.48 $3.48

$0.49 Rp 8,344

610.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.45 Rp 7,812

317.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.48 $30.48

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

385.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

45.88%

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

$24.2K $24.2K

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

-7.24%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

-17.60%

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

$252 $252

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

215.86%

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

$39.13 $39.13

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

856.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 $71.7

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

198.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.51 $42.51

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

-55.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

Cinema Ticket

$15.26 $15.26

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

269.49%

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

$2,613 $2,613

$297 Rp 5.1M

780.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.9K $37.9K

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

468.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.1 $56.1

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

2.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.24 $40.24

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

3.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 $91.2

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

1.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 $80.8

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

2.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,177 $3,177

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

211.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,253 $2,253

$660 Rp 11.3M

241.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$6,236 $6,236

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

81.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$6,455 $6,455

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

214.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$21.4K $21.4K

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

618.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$16.1K $16.1K

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

580.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,990 $4,990

$172 Rp 3.0M

2799.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

13.28

-50.68%

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

Last update for Menlo Park, CA: April 22, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,177 in Menlo Park, CA and $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Menlo Park, CA pays 2800% 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: $91 in Menlo Park, CA vs $33 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $399 vs $299 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 Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 156% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Menlo Park, CA pays 2800% more on average, 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: $3,177 in Menlo Park, CA versus $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,613 in Menlo Park, CA versus $297 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 $33.00 versus $91.0 in Menlo Park, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,611 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 156% less than in Menlo Park, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.