Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanford, NC and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Sanford, NC and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,536 in Sanford, NC versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,632 in Sanford, NC versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,727 in Sanford, NC versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Sanford, NC is roughly 79% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Sanford, NC 89% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.11 $16.11

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

352.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.15 $49.15

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

50.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.87 $9.87

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

99.39%

Cappuccino

$2.29 $2.29

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

-15.50%

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

$1.80 $1.80

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

34.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

177.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.71 $3.71

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

27.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.53 $7.53

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

90.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 $1.00

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

-44.75%

White Bread (500g)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

32.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

271.55%

Eggs

$4.67 $4.67

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

89.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.24 $17.24

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

17.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.98 $16.98

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

293.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.65 $16.65

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

37.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.70 $5.70

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

48.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

-17.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.54 $6.54

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

131.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

69.10%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

100.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

28.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

48.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

143.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.57 $7.57

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

128.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.41 $15.41

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

-35.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

-24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

11.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.27 Rp 4,819

625.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.02 $3.02

$0.46 Rp 8,181

556.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.88 $1.88

$0.45 Rp 8,068

317.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.32 $30.32

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

397.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.87 $0.87

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

10.13%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

33.40%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

-24.26%

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

$140 $140

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

75.68%

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

$44.33 $44.33

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

991.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.7 $73.7

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

213.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.11 $43.11

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-56.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

Cinema Ticket

$14.25 $14.25

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

243.37%

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

$1,304 $1,304

$304 Rp 5.4M

329.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K $25.1K

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

279.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.29 $49.29

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

-11.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.57 $35.57

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

-7.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

19.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$154 $154

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

97.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,627 $1,627

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

61.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,346 $1,346

$675 Rp 12.1M

99.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,651 $2,651

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

-22.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,262 $2,262

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

10.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,913 $1,913

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

-32.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,975 $1,975

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

-12.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,434 $3,434

$165 Rp 3.0M

1978.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

13.28

-50.98%

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

Last update for Sanford, NC: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,627 in Sanford, NC and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sanford, NC pays 1978% 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: $49.00 in Sanford, NC vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $442 vs $302 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

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

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 79% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Sanford, NC pays 1978% 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: $1,627 in Sanford, NC versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,304 in Sanford, NC versus $304 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 $49.00 in Sanford, NC. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,536 in Sanford, NC, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Sanford, NC. 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 Sanford, NC, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Sanford, NC 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 79% less than in Sanford, NC. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.