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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $895 in San Isidro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,466 in San Isidro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,038 in San Isidro.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 57% more expensive than San Isidro, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, San Isidro is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$9.25 ARS 13.2K

-61.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$30.40 ARS 43.4K

6.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$9.23 ARS 13.2K

-47.35%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$1.63 ARS 2,326

68.71%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.32 ARS 1,891

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$1.13 ARS 1,616

-38.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.25 ARS 1,780

132.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.68 ARS 3,826

41.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.26 ARS 1,801

35.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.64 ARS 2,347

50.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.78 ARS 2,539

-32.58%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.15 ARS 3,076

13.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$12.32 ARS 17.6K

16.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$6.08 ARS 8,690

-29.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$9.31 ARS 13.3K

31.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$1.88 ARS 2,692

95.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.10 ARS 2,995

-26.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$0.99 ARS 1,418

181.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$2.54 ARS 3,632

-8.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.51 ARS 2,157

30.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.38 ARS 1,976

67.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.87 ARS 1,243

21.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.44 ARS 2,059

-49.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$3.19 ARS 4,551

2.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$4.66 ARS 6,661

389.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.26 ARS 1,799

123.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$3.16 ARS 4,511

-12.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.82 ARS 1,178

-64.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.55 ARS 2,220

-70.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.90 ARS 1,291

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$6.11 ARS 8,732

2.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.02 ARS 1,458

-16.67%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$24.3K ARS 34.7M

6.90%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$26.4K ARS 37.7M

20.10%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$56.3 ARS 80.5K

43.38%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$18.20 ARS 26.0K

-77.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$14.90 ARS 21.3K

63.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$26.35 ARS 37.6K

270.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$13.86 ARS 19.8K

-53.46%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$4.97 ARS 7,099

-18.71%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$331 ARS 472.4K

-8.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$1,074 ARS 1.5M

516.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$80.0 ARS 114.2K

-32.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$70.4 ARS 100.5K

-44.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$109 ARS 155.4K

-20.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$94.8 ARS 135.4K

-19.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$336 ARS 479.8K

193.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$238 ARS 340.3K

176.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$684 ARS 976.5K

392.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$537 ARS 767.2K

284.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$2,032 ARS 2.9M

34.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$2,746 ARS 3.9M

-18.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$588 ARS 840.6K

-72.23%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for San Isidro: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $336 in San Isidro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Isidro pays 260% 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 $297 vs $229 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 57% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $895 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 260% 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $336 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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $895 in San Isidro – a 57% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $895 in San Isidro versus $1,404 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 57% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.