Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose, CA and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between San Jose, CA and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,279 in San Jose, CA versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,059 in San Jose, CA versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,838 in San Jose, CA versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in San Jose, CA is roughly 213% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Jose, CA 213% above, Ubud, Bali 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.92 $21.92

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

537.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.4 $98.4

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

170.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.97 $11.97

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

109.63%

Cappuccino

$5.72 $5.72

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

114.23%

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

$3.11 $3.11

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

77.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

178.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.87 $8.87

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

200.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.19 $10.19

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

125.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

6.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.49 $4.49

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

92.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

261.26%

Eggs

$5.96 $5.96

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

170.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.52 $19.52

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

10.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.43 $14.43

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

251.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.52 $21.52

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

76.68%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

38.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.02 $2.02

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

27.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.40 $5.40

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

136.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.49 $5.49

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

181.54%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 $3.47

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

81.68%

Onion (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

24.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

141.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$0.55 Rp 9,773

345.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.49 $11.49

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

415.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.40 $15.40

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-33.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

2.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.34 $3.34

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

11.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.27 Rp 4,814

851.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.4 $91.4

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

917.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.53 $3.53

$0.48 Rp 8,566

635.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.07 $3.07

$0.43 Rp 7,679

613.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.59 $30.59

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

442.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.52 $1.52

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

90.00%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

47.69%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

-17.03%

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

$273 $273

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

235.06%

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

$47.38 $47.38

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

630.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.1 $82.1

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

337.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$143 $143

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

150.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.90 $24.90

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

32.94%

Cinema Ticket

$16.87 $16.87

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

271.59%

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

$1,843 $1,843

$481 Rp 8.5M

283.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.3K $40.3K

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

606.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.6 $60.6

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

33.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.2 $51.2

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

42.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 $99.3

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

23.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

49.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,050 $3,050

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

173.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,681 $2,681

$698 Rp 12.4M

284.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,801 $4,801

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

32.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,073 $4,073

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

134.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,792 $8,792

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

215.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,040 $9,040

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

294.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,252 $6,252

$168 Rp 3.0M

3620.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

13.78

-55.22%

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

Last update for San Jose, CA: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,050 in San Jose, CA and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Jose, CA pays 3621% 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: $98.0 in San Jose, CA vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $490 vs $295 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

San Jose, CA vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 213% lower than in San Jose, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 3621% higher in San Jose, 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: $3,050 in San Jose, CA versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 917% less than in San Jose, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,843 in San Jose, CA versus $481 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,279 in San Jose, CA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in San Jose, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,368 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Jose, 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 213% less than in San Jose, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.