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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,374 in Ubud, Bali versus $743 in Paulista.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,313 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,175 in Paulista.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,252 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,606 in Paulista.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 85% more expensive than in Paulista, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Paulista is 45% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Paulista
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.32 Rp 59.7K
$6.52 R$34.03
-49.08%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.33 Rp 634.5K
$15.12 R$79.0
133.66%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.33 Rp 95.8K
$7.49 R$39.10
-28.84%
Cappuccino
$2.75 Rp 49.5K
$1.46 R$7.62
88.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.73 Rp 31.0K
$0.96 R$5.01
80.21%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 Rp 14.3K
$0.40 R$2.08
100.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.95 Rp 52.9K
$1.84 R$9.60
60.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.44 Rp 79.7K
$3.49 R$18.25
27.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Paulista
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 Rp 26.9K
$0.98 R$5.11
53.06%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 Rp 41.3K
$1.74 R$9.08
32.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.10 Rp 19.7K
$0.98 R$5.11
12.24%
Eggs
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
$2.04 R$10.68
5.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.09 Rp 306.9K
$2.60 R$13.60
557.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.88 Rp 69.6K
$2.83 R$14.77
37.10%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.92 Rp 214.0K
$5.39 R$28.14
121.15%
Apples (1kg)
$3.57 Rp 64.0K
$1.97 R$10.27
81.22%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 Rp 28.4K
$0.94 R$4.93
68.09%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.36 Rp 42.4K
$0.88 R$4.58
168.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.3K
$1.09 R$5.68
80.73%
Potato (1kg)
$1.81 Rp 32.5K
$1.38 R$7.20
31.16%
Onion (1kg)
$2.39 Rp 42.9K
$0.74 R$3.87
222.97%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 Rp 18.3K
$0.40 R$2.07
155.00%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.49 Rp 8,825
$0.87 R$4.52
-43.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.25 Rp 40.3K
$2.17 R$11.34
3.69%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.30 Rp 400.5K
$3.74 R$19.51
496.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.37 Rp 42.5K
$1.48 R$7.74
60.14%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.90 Rp 52.0K
$3.18 R$16.59
-8.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Paulista
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,474
$0.94 R$4.92
-73.40%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.55 Rp 153.6K
$38.11 R$199
-77.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,936
$1.88 R$9.81
-76.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,584
$1.17 R$6.11
-64.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.66 Rp 101.7K
$3.09 R$16.13
83.17%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$1.08 R$5.65
-25.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.7K Rp 426.3M
$13.6K R$70.9K
74.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.0K Rp 556.3M
$28.6K R$149.5K
8.22%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Paulista
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$82.3 Rp 1.5M
$44.03 R$230
86.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.30 Rp 113.1K
$22.16 R$116
-71.57%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.63 Rp 334.7K
$22.82 R$119
-18.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Paulista
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.7 Rp 982.9K
$24.97 R$130
119.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.45 Rp 331.3K
$26.18 R$137
-29.53%
Cinema Ticket
$4.24 Rp 76.1K
$5.86 R$30.62
-27.65%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Paulista
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$484 Rp 8.7M
$66.0 R$345
633.48%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,590 Rp 100.4M
$6,327 R$33.0K
-11.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Paulista
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.77 Rp 822.0K
$16.90 R$88.3
170.83%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.69 Rp 641.0K
$64.9 R$339
-45.04%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.3 Rp 1.4M
$48.69 R$254
60.79%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.1 Rp 1.4M
$57.5 R$300
39.33%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Paulista
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,147 Rp 20.6M
$339 R$1,772
237.85%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$678 Rp 12.2M
$230 R$1,199
195.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,504 Rp 62.9M
$633 R$3,306
453.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,688 Rp 30.3M
$465 R$2,429
263.00%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,788 Rp 50.1M
$1,550 R$8,094
79.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,257 Rp 40.5M
$1,044 R$5,450
116.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Paulista
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
11
25.27%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 28, 2026

Last update for Paulista: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Ubud, Bali and $339 in Paulista. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $15.00 in Paulista for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $141 per month, with Paulista 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 Paulista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Paulista?
Paulista wins on cost – living expenses run 85% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Paulista the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ubud, Bali and in Paulista?
You'd need roughly $2,062 in Ubud, Bali and $1,115 in Paulista to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali compared to Paulista?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,147 in Ubud, Bali versus $339 in Paulista. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Paulista?
Childcare runs $484 in Ubud, Bali versus $66.0 in Paulista. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or in Paulista?
Supermarket bills run roughly 104% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Paulista?
At $743 in Paulista versus $1,374 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Paulista but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Paulista the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Paulista?
Both work as nomad bases, but Paulista delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $743 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Paulista hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Paulista?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Paulista are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Paulista gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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