Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and San Fernando, La Union Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and San Fernando, La Union

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $688 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,025 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,363 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 105% more than San Fernando, La Union, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while San Fernando, La Union is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$3.64 ₱225

-5.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$17.85 ₱1,101

81.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$3.35 ₱206

44.48%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.39 ₱147

15.06%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.78 ₱48.38

76.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.39 ₱24.25

92.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.35 ₱83.6

121.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.12 ₱131

81.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$2.96 ₱182

-41.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.26 ₱77.7

95.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.95 ₱58.7

23.16%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.03 ₱125

19.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$8.11 ₱500

78.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.36 ₱269

-0.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$7.51 ₱463

59.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.88 ₱178

29.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.51 ₱93.4

7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$2.63 ₱162

4.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.53 ₱94.6

46.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$2.28 ₱140

-15.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$2.61 ₱161

-12.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.11 ₱68.3

-4.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.71 ₱43.49

1.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$2.86 ₱176

15.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$8.85 ₱546

162.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.15 ₱71.1

141.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.97 ₱121

38.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.28 ₱17.28

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.78 ₱47.90

-38.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.22 ₱13.52

90.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$2.17 ₱134

186.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.19 ₱73.6

-31.93%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$26.3K ₱1.6M

1.32%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

55.84%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$115 ₱7,063

-31.58%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$32.66 ₱2,014

-87.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$26.98 ₱1,664

-9.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$13.15 ₱811

649.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$4.52 ₱279

40.27%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$6.11 ₱377

-34.70%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$154 ₱9,467

98.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$5,905 ₱364.1K

12.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$44.89 ₱2,769

20.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$26.87 ₱1,657

40.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$35.92 ₱2,215

141.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$39.67 ₱2,447

92.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$132 ₱8,131

652.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$123 ₱7,615

444.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$252 ₱15.6K

1237.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$216 ₱13.3K

849.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$2,200 ₱135.7K

27.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$946 ₱58.3K

135.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.67

99.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for San Fernando, La Union: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $132 in San Fernando, La Union. 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $18.00 in San Fernando, La Union. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $217 – making San Fernando, La Union 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 San Fernando, La Union: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 105%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,032 in San Fernando, La Union. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Fernando, La Union, 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $688 in San Fernando, La Union. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $154 in San Fernando, La Union. 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 San Fernando, La Union, where all-in costs run around $688, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In San Fernando, La Union it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward San Fernando, La Union – 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 San Fernando, La Union. 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.