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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $677 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,032 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,387 in San Fernando, La Union, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 110% more than San Fernando, La Union, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while San Fernando, La Union is 49% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$3.62 ₱224

-1.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$18.01 ₱1,111

81.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$3.24 ₱200

52.78%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.48 ₱153

9.27%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.78 ₱48.35

71.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.37 ₱22.54

89.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$1.30 ₱79.9

124.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.10 ₱130

88.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$2.94 ₱181

-38.44%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.27 ₱78.3

98.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.93 ₱57.4

24.73%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.00 ₱123

23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$8.17 ₱504

80.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$4.24 ₱261

1.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$7.51 ₱463

61.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.96 ₱182

29.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.55 ₱95.4

0.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$2.64 ₱163

7.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.61 ₱99.3

44.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$2.30 ₱142

-16.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$2.61 ₱161

-15.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.06 ₱65.5

-4.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.73 ₱44.80

6.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$2.92 ₱180

13.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$8.20 ₱506

189.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.21 ₱74.5

130.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$1.99 ₱123

43.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.28 ₱17.37

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$0.82 ₱50.6

-43.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.24 ₱14.88

87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$2.07 ₱128

194.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.16 ₱71.2

-31.90%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$26.2K ₱1.6M

-0.03%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

54.99%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$111 ₱6,873

-28.29%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$32.80 ₱2,023

-87.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$27.83 ₱1,716

-15.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$13.42 ₱828

635.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$4.49 ₱277

47.66%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$5.82 ₱359

-28.69%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$153 ₱9,463

98.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$5,736 ₱353.7K

15.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$44.93 ₱2,770

23.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$26.48 ₱1,633

44.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$35.74 ₱2,204

147.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$40.67 ₱2,508

91.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$131 ₱8,067

669.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$123 ₱7,593

448.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$249 ₱15.4K

1282.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$215 ₱13.3K

847.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$2,315 ₱142.8K

22.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$974 ₱60.1K

132.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 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: June 1, 2026

Last update for San Fernando, La Union: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $131 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $18.00 in San Fernando, La Union. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $216 – 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 110%, 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 $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,016 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 $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $677 in San Fernando, La Union. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $153 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 $677, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. 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.