Cost of Living Comparison Between San Marcos, TX and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between San Marcos, TX and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,680 in San Marcos, TX versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,885 in San Marcos, TX versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,090 in San Marcos, TX versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in San Marcos, TX is roughly 90% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Marcos, TX 101% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.04 $19.04

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

451.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 $69.8

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

115.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.09 $10.09

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

108.47%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

78.55%

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

$2.71 $2.71

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

96.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

184.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 $5.96

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

99.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.19 $7.19

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

86.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.96 $0.96

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-44.83%

White Bread (500g)

$3.13 $3.13

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

27.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.45 $3.45

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

194.87%

Eggs

$3.88 $3.88

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

59.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.63 $9.63

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-33.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.15 $12.15

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

179.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.17 $17.17

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

43.32%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 $4.25

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

14.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

-25.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

47.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

15.18%

Potato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

45.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

3.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

67.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

197.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.88 $7.88

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

139.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.34 $14.34

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-38.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

-29.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.80 $3.80

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

39.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.27 Rp 4,778

625.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 $3.91

$0.48 Rp 8,659

714.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$0.42 Rp 7,532

354.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.61 $29.61

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

376.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 $0.79

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-2.47%

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

$31.9K $31.9K

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

19.85%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-22.05%

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

$192 $192

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

145.49%

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

$62.3 $62.3

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

1430.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.9 $65.9

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

170.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.2 $70.2

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-28.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

Cinema Ticket

$15.02 $15.02

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

276.44%

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

$667 $667

$305 Rp 5.5M

118.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K $19.2K

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

188.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.15 $46.15

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

-14.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.19 $44.19

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

16.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 $97.6

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

12.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 $124

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

62.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 $1,329

$992 Rp 17.8M

33.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,388 $1,388

$673 Rp 12.1M

106.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,025 $3,025

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-10.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,386 $2,386

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

16.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,381 $2,381

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

-15.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,863 $1,863

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

-16.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,128 $3,128

$167 Rp 3.0M

1773.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.44

13.28

-51.51%

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

Last update for San Marcos, TX: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,329 in San Marcos, TX and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Marcos, TX pays 1774% 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: $70.0 in San Marcos, TX vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $361 vs $297 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 Marcos, TX vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 90% lower than in San Marcos, TX. 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 1774% higher in San Marcos, TX, 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: $1,329 in San Marcos, TX versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in San Marcos, TX. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $2,680 per month in San Marcos, TX versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 90% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,680 in San Marcos, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in San Marcos, TX. 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 $1,408 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Marcos, TX 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 90% less than in San Marcos, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.