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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,587 in Alajuela.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,407 in Alajuela.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,226 in Alajuela.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 12% less than in Alajuela, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Alajuela 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

$10.15 ₡4,566

-64.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

$39.22 ₡17.6K

-17.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

$9.47 ₡4,261

-47.10%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

$3.69 ₡1,661

-23.58%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$2.03 ₡916

-33.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$1.35 ₡606

-45.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.16 ₡970

35.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

$3.60 ₡1,621

9.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

$1.87 ₡840

-4.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

$2.52 ₡1,133

-2.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

$2.23 ₡1,002

-48.43%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

$2.23 ₡1,005

8.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

$10.14 ₡4,562

41.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

$8.99 ₡4,046

-53.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

$13.50 ₡6,074

-10.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

$3.85 ₡1,733

-5.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.49 ₡672

5.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

$4.24 ₡1,906

-34.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.88 ₡1,296

-22.22%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

$2.86 ₡1,288

-30.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

$2.54 ₡1,143

-10.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

$1.01 ₡455

3.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$2.48 ₡1,116

-68.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

$4.84 ₡2,179

-34.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

$22.01 ₡9,905

6.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

$2.17 ₡976

33.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

$2.51 ₡1,129

9.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

$0.87 ₡392

-68.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

$113 ₡50.7K

-92.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,180

$1.39 ₡626

-67.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,311

$1.32 ₡592

-65.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

$7.74 ₡3,482

-21.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.39 ₡626

-38.13%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

$37.7K ₡17.0M

-29.42%

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

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

$32.0K ₡14.4M

1.84%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$44.51 ₡20.0K

77.53%

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

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

$19.99 ₡8,997

-79.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

$33.06 ₡14.9K

-27.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$63.8 ₡28.7K

54.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

$44.06 ₡19.8K

-85.59%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

$8.80 ₡3,958

-54.43%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$304 ₡136.8K

-2.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

$2,361 ₡1.1M

179.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

$62.8 ₡28.2K

-14.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

$51.1 ₡23.0K

-25.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$120 ₡53.9K

-25.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$100 ₡45.0K

-23.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$685 ₡308.2K

48.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$588 ₡264.5K

15.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

$978 ₡440.2K

254.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

$928 ₡417.8K

125.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$2,131 ₡958.9K

-92.32%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Alajuela: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $685 in Alajuela. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alajuela pays 1202% 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $39.00 in Alajuela for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $344 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 14% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1202% 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $685 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 1247% 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 $304 in Alajuela. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,392 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 14% less than in Alajuela. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.