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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $910 in San Isidro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,504 in San Isidro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,098 in San Isidro.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 58% more expensive than San Isidro, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, San Isidro is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

$8.92 ARS 12.6K

-59.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

$30.15 ARS 42.5K

8.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

$8.75 ARS 12.3K

-42.06%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

$1.65 ARS 2,327

71.52%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

$1.31 ARS 1,849

2.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$1.18 ARS 1,657

-41.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

$1.20 ARS 1,690

149.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

$2.81 ARS 3,959

37.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$1.22 ARS 1,716

42.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

$1.64 ARS 2,307

54.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.81 ARS 2,542

-34.25%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

$2.22 ARS 3,120

9.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

$12.05 ARS 17.0K

21.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

$6.06 ARS 8,536

-31.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

$9.45 ARS 13.3K

26.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

$1.88 ARS 2,644

96.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$2.03 ARS 2,855

-20.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

$0.94 ARS 1,322

186.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

$2.64 ARS 3,720

-11.74%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

$1.44 ARS 2,030

32.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

$1.39 ARS 1,952

57.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.88 ARS 1,239

20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$1.43 ARS 2,015

-49.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

$3.17 ARS 4,467

-1.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

$5.72 ARS 8,053

310.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

$1.24 ARS 1,750

120.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

$3.14 ARS 4,419

-8.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,010

$0.81 ARS 1,144

-64.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,834

$1.58 ARS 2,224

-71.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,278

$0.85 ARS 1,194

-50.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

$5.96 ARS 8,398

3.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

$1.07 ARS 1,502

-21.50%

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

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

$23.8K ARS 33.5M

10.21%

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

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

$26.4K ARS 37.1M

23.15%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$55.9 ARS 78.8K

40.21%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

$18.64 ARS 26.2K

-78.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

$14.56 ARS 20.5K

67.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$26.16 ARS 36.8K

269.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

$13.97 ARS 19.7K

-54.55%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

$5.06 ARS 7,126

-20.16%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$323 ARS 454.5K

-6.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

$1,068 ARS 1.5M

510.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

$80.9 ARS 113.9K

-33.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

$71.0 ARS 100.0K

-46.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$108 ARS 152.6K

-19.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$93.1 ARS 131.1K

-15.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$335 ARS 472.3K

201.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.6M

$241 ARS 339.7K

179.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

$673 ARS 947.7K

403.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

$531 ARS 747.2K

295.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

$2,049 ARS 2.9M

45.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

$2,778 ARS 3.9M

-15.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$598 ARS 842.6K

-71.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

52.71

-74.81%

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 Isidro: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $335 in San Isidro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Isidro pays 246% 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 $30.00 in San Isidro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $230 per month, with San Isidro 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 Isidro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and San Isidro differ by about 58% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $910 including rent). San Isidro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, San Isidro earns 246% 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 $335 in San Isidro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $910 in San Isidro – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $910 in San Isidro versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Isidro but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes San Isidro 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 Isidro 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 Isidro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.