Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Palm Desert, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Palm Desert, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,200 in Palm Desert, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,434 in Palm Desert, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $5,668 in Palm Desert, CA.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 56% less than in Palm Desert, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Palm Desert, CA 140% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$18.32 $18.32

-81.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$79.6 $79.6

-59.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$11.43 $11.43

-57.66%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$5.26 $5.26

-47.72%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$3.62 $3.62

-61.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$2.31 $2.31

-67.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$7.11 $7.11

-57.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$7.91 $7.91

-51.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.12 $1.12

55.36%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$4.12 $4.12

-40.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$4.72 $4.72

-75.21%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$3.73 $3.73

-34.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$11.19 $11.19

29.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$16.32 $16.32

-73.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$15.32 $15.32

-21.80%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$4.50 $4.50

-17.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.54 $1.54

5.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$4.82 $4.82

-43.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$5.78 $5.78

-61.25%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$3.18 $3.18

-39.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$2.92 $2.92

-21.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$2.12 $2.12

-50.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$2.19 $2.19

-67.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$10.88 $10.88

-69.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$15.25 $15.25

52.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.93 $1.93

44.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$3.43 $3.43

-20.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$1.95 $1.95

-86.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$6.58 $6.58

-92.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$2.00 $2.00

-79.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$29.74 $29.74

-79.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.10 $1.10

-26.36%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$25.4K $25.4K

4.82%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$28.4K $28.4K

13.53%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$156 $156

-49.74%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$54.9 $54.9

-92.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$59.0 $59.0

-58.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$42.44 $42.44

132.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$12.80 $12.80

-68.83%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$1,500 $1,500

-79.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$23.8K $23.8K

-72.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$47.68 $47.68

13.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$29.85 $29.85

26.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$60.9 $60.9

42.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$59.0 $59.0

29.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$2,529 $2,529

-60.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$1,971 $1,971

-65.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$3,101 $3,101

8.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$3,039 $3,039

-32.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$4,436 $4,436

-96.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.64

100.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Palm Desert, CA: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $2,529 in Palm Desert, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palm Desert, CA pays 2557% 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 $80.0 in Palm Desert, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $425 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 Palm Desert, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 127% lower than in Palm Desert, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 2557% lower in Palm Desert, 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,529 in Palm Desert, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,500 in Palm Desert, 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 $80.0 in Palm Desert, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,200 in Palm Desert, CA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Palm Desert, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,408 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Palm Desert, 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 127% less than in Palm Desert, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.