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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,301 in Puntarenas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,005 in Puntarenas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,708 in Puntarenas.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 9% more expensive than Puntarenas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Puntarenas is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$7.15 ₡3,268

-50.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$60.4 ₡27.6K

-45.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$9.28 ₡4,242

-46.66%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$3.78 ₡1,726

-28.31%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$2.00 ₡912

-33.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.65 ₡754

-57.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$2.91 ₡1,328

0.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$4.65 ₡2,123

-14.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$2.06 ₡941

-12.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$2.91 ₡1,330

-13.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.96 ₡897

-40.82%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.25 ₡1,028

9.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$3.32 ₡1,519

343.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$8.02 ₡3,665

-46.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$8.85 ₡4,044

37.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$3.47 ₡1,587

10.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$0.99 ₡454

57.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.18 ₡539

139.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.38 ₡630

68.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.55 ₡709

23.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.56 ₡713

41.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.79 ₡360

27.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$1.99 ₡907

-60.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$4.47 ₡2,044

-25.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$7.96 ₡3,638

198.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.66 ₡757

68.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.36 ₡1,078

21.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.94 ₡430

-71.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$1.81 ₡828

-74.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$1.77 ₡808

-74.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$7.70 ₡3,518

-20.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.32 ₡603

-40.15%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$38.2K ₡17.5M

-31.55%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$16.7K ₡7.6M

92.15%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$49.20 ₡22.5K

62.48%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$20.18 ₡9,222

-79.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$24.25 ₡11.1K

-3.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$57.7 ₡26.4K

70.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$23.98 ₡11.0K

-72.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$9.87 ₡4,507

-57.95%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$571 ₡261.0K

-46.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$12.4K ₡5.7M

-46.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$23.44 ₡10.7K

136.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$15.99 ₡7,306

139.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$128 ₡58.4K

-30.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$48.52 ₡22.2K

60.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$771 ₡352.4K

30.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$598 ₡273.2K

12.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$1,526 ₡697.1K

125.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$965 ₡440.7K

111.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$1,008 ₡460.7K

181.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$660 ₡301.6K

242.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$968 ₡442.2K

-82.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

121.33%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Puntarenas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $771 in Puntarenas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puntarenas pays 486% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $60.0 in Puntarenas. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $242, with Puntarenas cheaper for home cooking.

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 Puntarenas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puntarenas wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Puntarenas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Puntarenas earns 486% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $771 in Puntarenas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,301 in Puntarenas – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,301 in Puntarenas versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Puntarenas but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Puntarenas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Puntarenas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,301 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Puntarenas hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Puntarenas 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 Puntarenas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.