Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Menlo Park, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Menlo Park, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,627 in Menlo Park, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $6,647 in Menlo Park, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $9,668 in Menlo Park, CA.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 62% less than in Menlo Park, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Menlo Park, CA 172% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.6K

$29.49 $29.49

-88.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 577.1K

$90.5 $90.5

-64.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 89.1K

$12.10 $12.10

-58.68%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.3K

$4.82 $4.82

-41.49%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

$2.53 $2.53

-45.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$1.34 $1.34

-45.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$8.10 $8.10

-63.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.8K

$7.93 $7.93

-49.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$1.46 $1.46

22.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$4.73 $4.73

-47.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$3.20 $3.20

-62.50%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

$6.82 $6.82

-64.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 256.6K

$10.92 $10.92

31.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 76.4K

$10.99 $10.99

-61.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.6K

$12.52 $12.52

-5.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.4K

$4.48 $4.48

-15.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$2.24 $2.24

-27.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.9K

$4.39 $4.39

-36.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.3K

$5.00 $5.00

-54.80%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.6K

$2.85 $2.85

-29.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

$3.43 $3.43

-35.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

$2.13 $2.13

-49.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$2.65 $2.65

-71.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.7K

$8.62 $8.62

-63.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 424.4K

$12.06 $12.06

97.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.6K

$1.72 $1.72

65.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.5K

$2.40 $2.40

15.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,755

$4.42 $4.42

-93.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 149.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,082

$3.54 $3.54

-87.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,624

$1.84 $1.84

-76.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 106.5K

$30.45 $30.45

-80.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.30 $1.30

-38.46%

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

$25.8K Rp 459.9M

$23.7K $23.7K

8.88%

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

$31.8K Rp 566.8M

$26.2K $26.2K

21.54%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$246 $246

-67.19%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.7K

$39.49 $39.49

-89.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 429.8K

$70.2 $70.2

-65.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$42.62 $42.62

129.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.9K

$15.18 $15.18

-73.39%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$2,655 $2,655

-88.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 117.4M

$37.6K $37.6K

-82.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 982.6K

$57.3 $57.3

-3.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 686.2K

$39.34 $39.34

-2.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$89.6 $89.6

-3.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$81.6 $81.6

-4.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.6M

$3,151 $3,151

-68.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$2,270 $2,270

-70.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.4M

$6,317 $6,317

-45.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.4M

$6,445 $6,445

-68.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.4M

$21.6K $21.6K

-86.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.7M

$16.3K $16.3K

-86.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$4,875 $4,875

-96.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.55

102.75%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Menlo Park, CA: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $3,151 in Menlo Park, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Menlo Park, CA pays 2780% 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 $90.0 in Menlo Park, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $399 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 Menlo Park, CA: 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 160% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2780% lower in Menlo Park, CA. 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: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,151 in Menlo Park, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,655 in Menlo Park, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $90.0 in Menlo Park, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,627 in Menlo Park, CA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Menlo Park, CA. 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 Menlo Park, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Menlo Park, CA 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 160% less than in Menlo Park, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.