Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Escazu

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,368 a month against $1,933 in Escazu, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

67

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
Learn more

Ubud, Bali Living Index
94

Cost of Living Index in Escazu
Learn more

Escazu Living Index

Jump to prices

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,368

/mo nomad

Escazu

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,933

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Escazu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Escazu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,933 in Escazu.

Ubud, Bali $1,368
Escazu $1,933

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,966 in Escazu.

Ubud, Bali $2,314
Escazu $2,966

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,999 in Escazu.

Ubud, Bali $3,260
Escazu $3,999

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 29% less than in Escazu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Escazu 43% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 59.9K

$12.23 ₡5,486

-72.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.18 Rp 633.2K

$62.1 ₡27.9K

-43.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 Rp 104.5K

$11.48 ₡5,146

-49.48%

Cappuccino

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$4.56 ₡2,045

-40.13%

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

$1.64 Rp 29.5K

$2.72 ₡1,218

-39.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

$1.85 ₡828

-55.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 Rp 48.6K

$3.36 ₡1,505

-19.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 77.4K

$4.47 ₡2,006

-3.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

$2.32 ₡1,040

-35.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.4K

$3.12 ₡1,397

-26.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

$2.49 ₡1,117

-52.61%

Eggs

$2.14 Rp 38.6K

$3.59 ₡1,611

-40.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.48 Rp 314.6K

$10.61 ₡4,757

64.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 72.5K

$10.22 ₡4,581

-60.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.23 Rp 220.1K

$13.94 ₡6,252

-12.27%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 Rp 63.9K

$5.13 ₡2,301

-30.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.62 ₡726

-3.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$3.16 ₡1,416

-29.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.7K

$3.07 ₡1,378

-37.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.88 Rp 33.9K

$3.79 ₡1,698

-50.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 41.3K

$3.73 ₡1,674

-38.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

$1.04 ₡465

-4.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 Rp 9,475

$1.70 ₡762

-68.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$5.53 ₡2,479

-58.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.01 Rp 414.2K

$18.39 ₡8,249

25.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

$1.66 ₡745

40.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 Rp 52.4K

$2.68 ₡1,202

8.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,315

$1.09 ₡491

-77.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.82 Rp 158.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,684

$2.06 ₡923

-76.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,233

$1.57 ₡704

-70.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 98.2K

$8.76 ₡3,927

-37.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 Rp 15.9K

$1.48 ₡664

-40.54%

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

$24.6K Rp 442.2M

$22.4K ₡10.1M

9.59%

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

$31.2K Rp 561.4M

$35.2K ₡15.8M

-11.36%

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

$94.6 ₡42.4K

-12.21%

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

$6.45 Rp 116.0K

$29.81 ₡13.4K

-78.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.57 Rp 334.2K

$60.1 ₡27.0K

-69.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 Rp 1.0M

$108 ₡48.6K

-48.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.11 Rp 326.0K

$10.15 ₡4,550

78.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 Rp 78.9K

$7.81 ₡3,502

-43.92%

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

$493 Rp 8.9M

$457 ₡204.9K

7.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,754 Rp 103.6M

$16.9K ₡7.6M

-65.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.19 Rp 831.4K

$71.1 ₡31.9K

-34.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.33 Rp 636.0K

$55.7 ₡25.0K

-36.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

$131 ₡58.6K

-39.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$130 ₡58.4K

-39.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 Rp 20.6M

$834 ₡373.9K

37.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$676 Rp 12.2M

$845 ₡378.8K

-20.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,503 Rp 63.1M

$1,961 ₡879.3K

78.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,700 Rp 30.6M

$1,508 ₡676.4K

12.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 50.1M

$1,407 ₡630.8K

97.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

$972 ₡435.7K

130.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,746 ₡782.8K

-90.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.62

59.86%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Last update for Escazu: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$676 49.4%

Escazu

$845 43.7% 25% $169

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$290 21.2%

Escazu

$361 18.7% 24.2% $70

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$109 8%

Escazu

$231 12% 112% $122

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9%

Escazu

$184 9.5% 70.8% $76

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9%

Escazu

$174 9% 62.2% $67

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$65 4.7%

Escazu

$124 6.4% 92% $59

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$13 0.9%

Escazu

$14 * 0.7% 13.9% $1.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,142 in Ubud, Bali and $834 in Escazu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Escazu pays 961% 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: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $62.0 in Escazu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $361 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇨🇷 Escazu

🕒 Local time

21:21 9:21 PM

07:21 7:21 AM

14 h behind Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

11,984

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ubud, Bali Escazu 17,880 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Ubud, Bali
Escazu

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Escazu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 961% lower in Escazu. 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: $1,142 in Ubud, Bali versus $834 in Escazu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Escazu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,933 in Escazu – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,933 in Escazu, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Escazu. 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 Escazu, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Escazu 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 41% less than in Escazu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.