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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,597 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,439 in Guanacaste, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,281 in Guanacaste, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 14% cheaper than Guanacaste, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Guanacaste sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 0%, Guanacaste by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$10.99 ₡4,886

-68.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$48.83 ₡21.7K

-25.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$11.44 ₡5,084

-50.09%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$4.47 ₡1,986

-40.27%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$2.60 ₡1,156

-32.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.88 ₡833

-53.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$3.15 ₡1,402

-6.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$4.50 ₡1,999

0.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.04 ₡905

-20.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$3.05 ₡1,356

-23.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$2.55 ₡1,135

-56.47%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$3.61 ₡1,603

-39.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$5.41 ₡2,403

226.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$4.49 ₡1,994

-8.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$10.89 ₡4,840

11.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.72 ₡1,209

36.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.68 ₡745

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$4.56 ₡2,028

-50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.58 ₡704

23.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$3.82 ₡1,699

-50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.16 ₡962

7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.85 ₡379

18.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$3.18 ₡1,415

-82.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$4.52 ₡2,009

-50.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$20.34 ₡9,042

13.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$2.81 ₡1,250

-13.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.59 ₡1,152

15.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$1.36 ₡605

-80.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$2.45 ₡1,088

-80.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.65 ₡732

-73.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$8.89 ₡3,950

-36.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.55 ₡687

-48.39%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$22.3K ₡9.9M

11.81%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$34.9K ₡15.5M

-9.05%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$95.2 ₡42.3K

-14.46%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$37.20 ₡16.5K

-82.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$32.98 ₡14.7K

-43.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$74.6 ₡33.2K

-23.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$8.27 ₡3,675

-45.10%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$1,006 ₡447.2K

-52.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$17.2K ₡7.6M

-66.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$67.5 ₡30.0K

-32.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$44.71 ₡19.9K

-19.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$89.9 ₡39.9K

-10.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$78.1 ₡34.7K

0.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$814 ₡361.9K

36.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$646 ₡287.2K

7.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,844 ₡819.5K

97.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$1,269 ₡564.1K

36.88%

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

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 14, 2026

Last update for Guanacaste: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $814 in Guanacaste. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $49.00 in Guanacaste. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $314 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Guanacaste: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Guanacaste is pricier by about 17%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,395 in Guanacaste. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $1,597 in Guanacaste. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $481 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,006 in Guanacaste. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,368, than in Guanacaste at $1,597. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Guanacaste it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Guanacaste makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.