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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,106 in San Fernando, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,582 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,770 in San Fernando, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,757 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,435 in San Fernando, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 27% more than San Fernando, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while San Fernando is 17% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$10.66 MX$185

-67.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$38.85 MX$673

-15.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$8.04 MX$139

-36.82%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$3.33 MX$57.7

-15.32%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$1.24 MX$21.45

10.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.95 MX$16.51

-25.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$2.31 MX$40.05

28.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$3.97 MX$68.8

-1.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.44 MX$24.88

21.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$2.54 MX$44.09

-0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$1.61 MX$27.85

-24.84%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$2.39 MX$41.50

-2.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$7.98 MX$138

81.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$7.75 MX$134

-43.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$10.60 MX$184

13.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$2.62 MX$45.42

45.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.44 MX$24.88

11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$1.71 MX$29.58

57.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$1.66 MX$28.77

34.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.83 MX$31.67

3.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.92 MX$33.29

13.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$1.20 MX$20.83

-14.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$0.98 MX$16.93

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$4.09 MX$70.9

-22.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$10.29 MX$178

125.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$1.60 MX$27.67

78.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$2.88 MX$49.86

-5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$0.66 MX$11.40

-56.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$2.55 MX$44.16

-80.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

$1.58 MX$27.39

-71.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$8.38 MX$145

-25.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$1.32 MX$22.90

-35.61%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$21.0K MX$364.1K

24.03%

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$22.4K MX$387.9K

40.87%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$57.6 MX$997

38.61%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$22.39 MX$388

-81.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$27.89 MX$483

-13.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$36.08 MX$625

166.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

$15.99 MX$277

-59.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$4.74 MX$82.2

-12.87%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

$205 MX$3,556

44.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$3,549 MX$61.5K

87.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$53.8 MX$932

2.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$40.25 MX$698

-3.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$88.1 MX$1,527

1.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$79.3 MX$1,373

-0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$510 MX$8,832

99.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$400 MX$6,934

64.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

$916 MX$15.9K

274.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$768 MX$13.3K

167.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

$2,231 MX$38.7K

33.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

$1,219 MX$21.1K

94.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.48

15.68%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $510 in San Fernando. 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 in Ubud, Bali versus $39 in San Fernando. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Ubud, Bali vs $247 in San Fernando – so San Fernando wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 27%, 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,658 in San Fernando. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Fernando, 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 $1,106 in San Fernando. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $297 per month in Ubud, Bali and $205 in San Fernando. 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, where all-in costs run around $1,106, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In San Fernando 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 – 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. 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.