Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Alajuela Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Alajuela

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $996 in Alajuela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,604 in Alajuela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,212 in Alajuela.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 38% more expensive than in Alajuela, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Alajuela is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$12.31 ₡5,507

-72.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$43.81 ₡19.6K

-18.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$11.20 ₡5,013

-49.73%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$4.35 ₡1,947

-35.17%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$2.53 ₡1,133

-30.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$1.79 ₡799

-55.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$3.01 ₡1,348

1.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$3.88 ₡1,735

10.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$2.31 ₡1,034

-30.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.07 ₡481

112.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$2.14 ₡958

-45.33%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$3.47 ₡1,553

-37.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$10.90 ₡4,879

61.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$10.40 ₡4,653

-61.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$13.88 ₡6,212

-12.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.26 ₡1,011

60.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.60 ₡715

2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.16 ₡965

6.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$3.93 ₡1,757

-50.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$2.26 ₡1,010

-18.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$2.14 ₡958

10.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.02 ₡455

2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.99 ₡443

-45.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$5.36 ₡2,399

-57.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$20.20 ₡9,039

14.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.41 ₡632

65.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.01 ₡452

203.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.75 ₡336

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$129 ₡57.7K

-92.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.84 ₡826

-73.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.55 ₡696

-69.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$8.21 ₡3,673

-31.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.47 ₡659

-44.90%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$21.8K ₡9.8M

14.53%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$27.4K ₡12.3M

13.38%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$79.8 ₡35.7K

3.62%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$30.34 ₡13.6K

-78.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$62.7 ₡28.1K

-70.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$8.35 ₡3,736

-48.50%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$979 ₡438.2K

-49.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$17.4K ₡7.8M

-65.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$70.6 ₡31.6K

-34.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$56.4 ₡25.2K

-35.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$132 ₡59.0K

-38.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$73.2 ₡32.8K

7.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$742 ₡332.2K

50.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$1,407 ₡629.7K

158.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$2,143 ₡959.2K

-92.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.78

56.95%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Alajuela: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $742 in Alajuela. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alajuela pays 1183% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $44.00 in Alajuela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $308 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

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

Alajuela is cheaper overall, especially in Sport & Entertainment. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1183% lower in Alajuela. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $742 in Alajuela. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Alajuela runs roughly 1269% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $494 in Ubud, Bali versus $979 in Alajuela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $996 in Alajuela versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Alajuela but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Alajuela the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Alajuela is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Alajuela 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 Alajuela gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.