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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,087 in Cali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,694 in Cali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,301 in Cali.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 26% more expensive than in Cali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Cali is 21% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$7.59 COP 23.7K

-54.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$38.62 COP 120.5K

-5.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$8.46 COP 26.4K

-32.51%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$1.65 COP 5,153

61.82%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.27 COP 3,971

37.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.85 COP 2,638

2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$3.28 COP 10.2K

-10.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.85 COP 12.0K

17.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.66 COP 5,172

-2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.95 COP 6,077

19.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.52 COP 4,744

-26.97%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$3.00 COP 9,375

-26.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$6.48 COP 20.2K

172.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$7.22 COP 22.5K

-43.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$10.39 COP 32.4K

17.23%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$3.67 COP 11.4K

1.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.37 COP 4,284

16.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.83 COP 5,713

24.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.77 COP 5,538

10.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.46 COP 4,556

30.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.54 COP 4,801

51.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.17 COP 3,658

-13.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.05 COP 3,267

-47.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$3.79 COP 11.8K

-41.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$13.24 COP 41.3K

74.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.47 COP 4,598

64.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.51 COP 7,833

19.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$1.15 COP 3,603

-76.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$30.69 COP 95.8K

-70.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$0.88 COP 2,742

-45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.31 COP 4,093

-38.93%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$36.1K COP 112.7M

-12.22%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$114 COP 357.1K

-28.81%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$13.68 COP 42.7K

-52.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$31.26 COP 97.5K

-39.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$29.82 COP 93.1K

90.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$8.36 COP 26.1K

-45.69%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$79.7 COP 248.6K

-42.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$55.1 COP 171.9K

-34.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$130 COP 405.4K

-38.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$114 COP 357.1K

-31.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$666 COP 2.1M

67.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$306 COP 955.3K

127.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,627 COP 5.1M

123.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$509 COP 1.6M

241.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$598 COP 1.9M

-71.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.58

19.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cali: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $666 in Cali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cali pays 256% 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 $39.00 in Cali. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $247, with Cali cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 256% lower in Cali. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $666 in Cali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Cali runs roughly 242% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,087 in Cali versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali 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 Cali 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 Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.