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 $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $737 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,097 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,458 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 87% more than San Fernando, La Union, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while San Fernando, La Union is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.79 ₱237

-12.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 631.0K

$17.12 ₱1,067

109.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.2K

$2.77 ₱173

103.25%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.17 ₱136

29.95%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.61 ₱38.32

186.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.35 ₱21.60

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.13 ₱70.3

169.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.93 ₱120

122.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.62 ₱101

-0.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 40.0K

$1.13 ₱70.3

100.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.93 ₱58.0

25.81%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.88 ₱117

15.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.6K

$5.32 ₱332

231.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.30 ₱268

-5.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.6K

$7.27 ₱453

67.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.31 ₱144

56.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.56 ₱97.2

5.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.34 ₱146

-1.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.18 ₱73.6

66.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$2.13 ₱133

-13.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.8K

$1.99 ₱124

19.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$0.77 ₱47.90

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,564

$0.56 ₱34.66

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.90 ₱181

-20.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.5K

$8.13 ₱507

183.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.99 ₱61.9

136.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.97 ₱123

55.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,366

$0.25 ₱15.42

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$11.07 ₱690

-14.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,635

$0.82 ₱50.9

-40.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,352

$0.25 ₱15.62

88.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.7K

$1.89 ₱118

196.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.02 ₱63.8

-20.59%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.5M

$21.6K ₱1.3M

15.91%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.2M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

57.48%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$124 ₱7,703

-33.03%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.3K

$15.07 ₱940

-56.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 331.0K

$24.51 ₱1,529

-23.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 973.0K

$31.96 ₱1,993

72.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.8K

$4.92 ₱307

270.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.18 ₱323

-16.99%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$132 ₱8,256

273.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$7,963 ₱496.5K

-25.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 815.2K

$31.98 ₱1,994

44.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.9K

$19.28 ₱1,202

89.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$71.0 ₱4,429

13.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$55.7 ₱3,476

41.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$268 ₱16.7K

316.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$170 ₱10.6K

306.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$491 ₱30.6K

641.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.2M

$346 ₱21.6K

395.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,558 ₱159.5K

7.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,038 ₱64.7K

120.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.75

104.15%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for San Fernando, La Union: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $268 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $17.00 in San Fernando, La Union. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $179 – 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 87%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,105 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $17.00 in San Fernando, La Union. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,378 in Ubud, Bali and $737 in San Fernando, La Union. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in San Fernando, La Union, where all-in costs run around $737, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. 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.