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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $788 in San Fernando.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,177 in San Fernando.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,566 in San Fernando.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 82% more expensive than San Fernando, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, San Fernando is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$3.65 ₱225

-2.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$13.42 ₱828

142.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$2.73 ₱168

85.71%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$1.09 ₱67.1

159.63%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.45 ₱27.77

197.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.37 ₱22.58

86.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.35 ₱83.0

121.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$1.39 ₱86.0

176.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.82 ₱113

-4.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.23 ₱76.1

106.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.97 ₱59.9

22.68%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.26 ₱139

7.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$8.92 ₱550

64.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$3.86 ₱238

8.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$7.70 ₱475

55.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.62 ₱162

40.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.82 ₱112

-11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.30 ₱142

16.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.21 ₱74.8

92.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.84 ₱113

3.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$2.15 ₱133

1.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.67 ₱41.21

58.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.61 ₱37.35

18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$3.31 ₱204

-5.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$8.38 ₱517

180.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.08 ₱66.4

153.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.50 ₱92.4

92.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.26 ₱16.03

11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$20.91 ₱1,290

-60.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.73 ₱45.20

-38.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.22 ₱13.56

90.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$1.08 ₱66.8

470.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.15 ₱71.0

-26.96%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$28.5K ₱1.8M

-8.05%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$23.5K ₱1.4M

38.34%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$107 ₱6,603

-26.75%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$17.45 ₱1,076

-77.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$26.29 ₱1,621

-7.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$30.92 ₱1,907

212.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$4.35 ₱269

45.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$4.41 ₱272

-8.39%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$60.9 ₱3,753

397.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$1,948 ₱120.2K

234.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$34.49 ₱2,127

56.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$15.97 ₱985

137.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$52.3 ₱3,223

66.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$47.28 ₱2,916

66.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$354 ₱21.8K

186.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$243 ₱15.0K

177.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$590 ₱36.4K

474.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$479 ₱29.6K

337.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$2,226 ₱137.3K

34.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$334 ₱20.6K

-48.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.5

141.45%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $354 in San Fernando. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Fernando pays 93% 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 $13.00 in San Fernando for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $197 per month, with San Fernando cheaper across the board.

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

Ubud, Bali and San Fernando differ by about 82% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $788 including rent). San Fernando is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, San Fernando earns 93% 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $354 in San Fernando. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $303 in Ubud, Bali versus $60.9 in San Fernando. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $788 in San Fernando versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Fernando but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes San Fernando the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and San Fernando 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 San Fernando gentler on the wallet – expenses run 82% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.