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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,587 in Alajuela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,357 in Alajuela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,126 in Alajuela.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 11% less than in Alajuela, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Alajuela 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$9.71 ₡4,421

-64.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$39.07 ₡17.8K

-15.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$9.48 ₡4,317

-46.41%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$3.70 ₡1,687

-23.78%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$2.07 ₡943

-33.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$1.29 ₡586

-44.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$2.16 ₡982

37.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$3.61 ₡1,644

8.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.95 ₡887

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$2.47 ₡1,126

2.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$2.16 ₡983

-43.98%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$2.21 ₡1,008

5.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$9.86 ₡4,491

47.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$9.01 ₡4,101

-51.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$13.87 ₡6,314

-13.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$4.05 ₡1,842

-5.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.46 ₡663

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$4.34 ₡1,975

-37.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$2.74 ₡1,247

-18.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$2.80 ₡1,275

-32.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$2.56 ₡1,165

-14.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$1.03 ₡469

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$2.62 ₡1,192

-70.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$5.11 ₡2,328

-37.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$21.93 ₡9,988

5.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$2.17 ₡990

31.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$2.56 ₡1,164

6.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$0.86 ₡393

-66.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

$111 ₡50.4K

-92.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$1.43 ₡653

-65.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

$1.32 ₡599

-65.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$7.79 ₡3,548

-19.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$1.39 ₡633

-38.85%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$37.6K ₡17.1M

-30.75%

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$33.0K ₡15.0M

-4.58%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$44.35 ₡20.2K

79.86%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$20.14 ₡9,171

-79.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$32.36 ₡14.7K

-25.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$64.9 ₡29.5K

48.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

$43.69 ₡19.9K

-85.05%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$8.82 ₡4,017

-53.17%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

$297 ₡135.5K

-0.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$2,314 ₡1.1M

187.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$63.3 ₡28.8K

-13.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$50.5 ₡23.0K

-23.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$118 ₡53.8K

-24.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$101 ₡46.1K

-22.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$705 ₡320.9K

44.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$602 ₡273.9K

9.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

$987 ₡449.3K

248.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$950 ₡432.5K

116.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

$2,091 ₡952.0K

-91.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.17

30.58%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for Alajuela: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali and $705 in Alajuela. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alajuela pays 1115% 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: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $39 in Alajuela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $347 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

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Alajuela earns 1115% less. 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: $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $705 in Alajuela. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 1214% less than in Alajuela. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $297 in Alajuela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,587 in Alajuela, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Alajuela. 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 Alajuela, 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Alajuela. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.