Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Carlos and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Carlos and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $801 per month in Sao Carlos vs $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,321 per month in Sao Carlos vs $2,540 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,842 per month in Sao Carlos vs $3,660 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Sao Carlos is about 44% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Sao Carlos sits 40% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.43 R$22.89

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

24.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.22 R$167

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

-1.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.87 R$35.53

$4.95 Rp 89.3K

38.79%

Cappuccino

$1.78 R$9.20

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

-34.32%

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

$1.11 R$5.75

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

-17.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.63 R$3.28

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 R$7.24

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

-52.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 R$15.18

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

-25.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 R$5.96

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

-36.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.52 R$7.85

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

-39.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.54 R$13.12

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

118.97%

Eggs

$2.33 R$12.03

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

-5.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.55 R$49.38

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

-35.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.33 R$22.41

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

0.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.01 R$41.40

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

-34.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.41

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

-37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 R$7.48

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-7.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.54 R$7.94

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

-45.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 R$10.25

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

-15.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 R$7.75

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

-21.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.45

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

-43.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 R$4.86

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

-6.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 R$3.98

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

-1.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.17 R$11.21

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

-34.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.26 R$42.72

$23.74 Rp 428.1K

-65.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 R$6.74

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-53.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 R$13.00

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

-12.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 R$4.74

$0.27 Rp 4,848

240.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.00 R$114

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

173.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 R$7.07

$0.46 Rp 8,231

197.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.88 R$4.56

$0.45 Rp 8,117

95.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.33 R$17.22

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

-45.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.41

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

32.91%

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

$28.5K R$147.6K

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

9.17%

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

$29.8K R$153.9K

$32.1K Rp 579.3M

-7.35%

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

$71.1 R$367

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-11.12%

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

$14.81 R$76.6

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

264.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.24 R$94.3

$23.52 Rp 424.2K

-22.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.83 R$108

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-78.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.03 R$202

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

488.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.35 R$22.50

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

4.82%

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

$310 R$1,605

$304 Rp 5.5M

2.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,653 R$13.7K

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

-59.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.58 R$236

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

-17.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.30 R$188

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

-5.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 R$537

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

17.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.9 R$470

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

16.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$221 R$1,141

$1,006 Rp 18.2M

-78.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$216 R$1,115

$675 Rp 12.2M

-68.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$437 R$2,257

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

-87.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$487 R$2,518

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

-76.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$710 R$3,671

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

-75.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$862 R$4,455

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

-61.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$662 R$3,422

$165 Rp 3.0M

300.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.67

13.28

-19.65%

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

Last update for Sao Carlos: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $221 in Sao Carlos versus $1,006 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.

Salaries run about 300% higher in Sao Carlos, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Sao Carlos versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $205 vs $302 – making Sao Carlos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Ubud, Bali costs about 77% more than Sao Carlos, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,201 per month in Sao Carlos and $2,129 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 47% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Sao Carlos and $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sao Carlos, where all-in costs run around $801, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Sao Carlos 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. Sao Carlos costs $801 versus $1,419 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 Sao Carlos. 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.