Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Perez Zeledon Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Perez Zeledon

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,171 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,927 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,683 in Perez Zeledon, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 23% more than Perez Zeledon, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Perez Zeledon is 13% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$6.78 ₡3,082

-47.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$39.34 ₡17.9K

-17.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$9.98 ₡4,539

-49.20%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$3.80 ₡1,729

-25.53%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.45 ₡661

-7.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$1.59 ₡725

-56.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.91 ₡1,325

2.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$4.74 ₡2,154

-18.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.95 ₡886

-10.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$2.76 ₡1,254

-7.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$2.14 ₡973

-44.39%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.53 ₡1,148

-3.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$8.19 ₡3,725

79.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$9.01 ₡4,099

-53.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$13.51 ₡6,144

-11.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$4.52 ₡2,053

-18.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.03 ₡470

56.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$4.20 ₡1,909

-35.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$3.42 ₡1,553

-31.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$2.85 ₡1,294

-32.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$2.80 ₡1,273

-21.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.38 ₡174

178.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$2.94 ₡1,337

-75.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$5.09 ₡2,317

-38.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$21.95 ₡9,981

7.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.15 ₡977

27.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.52 ₡691

89.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.74 ₡334

-60.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.85 ₡841

-75.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.80 ₡819

-76.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$8.10 ₡3,684

-23.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.40 ₡635

-40.00%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$38.2K ₡17.3M

-31.21%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$33.2K ₡15.1M

-2.17%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$93.5 ₡42.5K

-16.15%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$21.44 ₡9,750

-81.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$59.1 ₡26.9K

-58.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$30.20 ₡13.7K

219.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$23.49 ₡10.7K

-72.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$9.70 ₡4,413

-58.35%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$500 ₡227.3K

-39.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$12.9K ₡5.9M

-49.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$63.5 ₡28.9K

-15.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$50.9 ₡23.1K

-25.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$125 ₡56.8K

-30.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$108 ₡49.0K

-26.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$336 ₡153.0K

200.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$263 ₡119.8K

156.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$1,537 ₡699.1K

120.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$632 ₡287.3K

232.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

47.56%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Perez Zeledon: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $336 in Perez Zeledon. 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $39.00 in Perez Zeledon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $347 – 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 Perez Zeledon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 23%, 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 $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,756 in Perez Zeledon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Perez Zeledon, 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 $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $1,171 in Perez Zeledon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Ubud, Bali and $500 in Perez Zeledon. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Perez Zeledon, where all-in costs run around $1,171, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Perez Zeledon it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Perez Zeledon – 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 Perez Zeledon. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.