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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $700 in San Fernando.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,045 in San Fernando.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,391 in San Fernando.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 95% more expensive than in San Fernando, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, San Fernando is 49% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$3.88 ₱244

-11.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$16.54 ₱1,039

119.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$2.88 ₱181

98.26%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$1.85 ₱116

44.32%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.39 ₱24.32

348.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.31 ₱19.29

180.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.02 ₱64.3

189.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$1.30 ₱82.0

247.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.66 ₱104

-2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.16 ₱73.0

100.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.91 ₱56.9

21.98%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.98 ₱125

11.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$5.22 ₱328

238.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$3.45 ₱217

18.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$7.78 ₱489

56.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$2.29 ₱144

62.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.29 ₱81.3

23.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$2.34 ₱147

-2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.07 ₱67.4

82.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.68 ₱106

13.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.60 ₱101

45.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.67 ₱41.88

50.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$0.53 ₱33.30

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.88 ₱181

-22.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$8.82 ₱554

161.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$0.90 ₱56.4

168.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$1.29 ₱81.3

132.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

$0.27 ₱16.68

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$11.28 ₱709

-20.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$0.66 ₱41.65

-27.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$0.23 ₱14.41

86.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$0.94 ₱58.9

500.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$0.98 ₱61.8

-18.37%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$21.0K ₱1.3M

18.61%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$19.3K ₱1.2M

64.68%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$143 ₱8,972

-42.96%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$17.75 ₱1,115

-63.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$23.63 ₱1,485

-20.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$31.58 ₱1,984

80.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

$4.85 ₱305

286.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$4.91 ₱308

-7.54%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$78.2 ₱4,910

515.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$1,130 ₱71.0K

405.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$19.26 ₱1,210

136.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$15.83 ₱994

126.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$31.40 ₱1,973

156.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$47.12 ₱2,960

66.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$264 ₱16.6K

322.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$172 ₱10.8K

306.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$495 ₱31.1K

635.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$353 ₱22.2K

391.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$2,815 ₱176.8K

-1.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$1,052 ₱66.1K

117.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$334 ₱21.0K

-49.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

129.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for San Fernando: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $264 in San Fernando. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Fernando pays 99% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $17.00 in San Fernando for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $172 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 95% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $700 including rent). San Fernando is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 99% lower in San Fernando. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $264 in San Fernando. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $78.2 in San Fernando. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 72% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $700 in San Fernando versus $1,368 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 95% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.