Cost of Living Comparison Between San Rafael and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between San Rafael and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,279 per month in San Rafael vs $1,374 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,073 per month in San Rafael vs $2,313 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,867 per month in San Rafael vs $3,252 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

San Rafael is about 7% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

San Rafael sits 5% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.21 ARS 17.1K

$3.32 Rp 59.7K

237.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.7 ARS 77.3K

$35.33 Rp 634.5K

43.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.49 ARS 22.1K

$5.33 Rp 95.8K

171.86%

Cappuccino

$4.30 ARS 6,552

$2.75 Rp 49.5K

56.36%

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

$2.43 ARS 3,701

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

40.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 ARS 2,961

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

142.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.07 ARS 6,200

$2.95 Rp 52.9K

37.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.46 ARS 6,797

$4.44 Rp 79.7K

0.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 ARS 2,033

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

-11.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 ARS 3,465

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

-1.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.67 ARS 4,072

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

142.73%

Eggs

$3.18 ARS 4,840

$2.16 Rp 38.8K

47.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.68 ARS 22.4K

$17.09 Rp 306.9K

-14.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.17 ARS 9,400

$3.88 Rp 69.6K

59.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.84 ARS 16.5K

$11.92 Rp 214.0K

-9.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ARS 3,515

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

-35.29%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 ARS 3,414

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

41.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ARS 2,080

$2.36 Rp 42.4K

-42.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.17 ARS 4,834

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

60.91%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 ARS 3,056

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

10.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.45 ARS 2,204

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

-39.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.92 ARS 2,933

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

88.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 ARS 3,731

$0.49 Rp 8,825

400.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 ARS 4,256

$2.25 Rp 40.3K

24.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.93 ARS 7,511

$22.30 Rp 400.5K

-77.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ARS 2,628

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

-27.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.03 ARS 4,617

$2.90 Rp 52.0K

4.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ARS 1,644

$0.25 Rp 4,474

332.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.55 Rp 153.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.95 ARS 2,978

$0.44 Rp 7,936

343.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.01 ARS 1,542

$0.42 Rp 7,584

140.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.93 ARS 7,517

$5.66 Rp 101.7K

-12.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ARS 1,914

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

55.56%

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

$26.9K ARS 41.0M

$23.7K Rp 426.3M

13.39%

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

$33.3K ARS 50.7M

$31.0K Rp 556.3M

7.35%

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

$135 ARS 205.7K

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

63.88%

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

$16.88 ARS 25.7K

$6.30 Rp 113.1K

167.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.03 ARS 35.1K

$18.63 Rp 334.7K

23.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.90 ARS 48.6K

$54.7 Rp 982.9K

-41.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 Rp 331.3K

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 ARS 10.5K

$4.24 Rp 76.1K

62.97%

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

$172 ARS 263.0K

$484 Rp 8.7M

-64.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,084 ARS 6.2M

$5,590 Rp 100.4M

-26.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$117 ARS 178.5K

$45.77 Rp 822.0K

155.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$126 ARS 191.8K

$35.69 Rp 641.0K

252.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 ARS 207.7K

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

74.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$124 ARS 189.4K

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

55.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$535 ARS 816.2K

$1,147 Rp 20.6M

-53.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$280 ARS 426.6K

$678 Rp 12.2M

-58.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$942 ARS 1.4M

$3,504 Rp 62.9M

-73.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 ARS 1.1M

$1,688 Rp 30.3M

-55.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 Rp 50.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,257 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

328.16%

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

Last update for San Rafael: September 28, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $535 in San Rafael versus $1,147 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $51.0 in San Rafael versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $284 in San Rafael vs $286 in Ubud, Bali – so San Rafael wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Rafael vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 7% more than San Rafael, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,918 per month in San Rafael and $2,062 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Rafael, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,279 in San Rafael and $1,374 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $172 per month in San Rafael and $484 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Rafael, where all-in costs run around $1,279, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,374. In San Rafael it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Rafael costs $1,279 versus $1,374 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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