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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,058 in San Isidro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,750 in San Isidro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,441 in San Isidro.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 29% more expensive than in San Isidro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, San Isidro is 23% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$9.89 ARS 15.0K

-65.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$37.02 ARS 56.1K

-1.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$11.69 ARS 17.7K

-51.15%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$3.02 ARS 4,574

-11.59%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.76 ARS 2,665

-0.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$1.62 ARS 2,458

-46.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$3.80 ARS 5,747

-22.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$2.28 ARS 3,447

98.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.30 ARS 1,972

24.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.63 ARS 2,465

42.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.52 ARS 2,298

-26.97%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.24 ARS 3,389

-1.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$8.31 ARS 12.6K

112.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$5.84 ARS 8,836

-29.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$10.65 ARS 16.1K

14.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$1.90 ARS 2,881

95.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.58 ARS 2,391

0.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$1.07 ARS 1,618

113.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$2.10 ARS 3,183

-7.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$0.93 ARS 1,404

105.38%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.69 ARS 1,047

237.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$1.48 ARS 2,235

-31.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$1.66 ARS 2,508

-66.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$3.29 ARS 4,980

-32.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$4.72 ARS 7,147

388.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.28 ARS 1,943

89.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.78 ARS 4,210

7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

$1.14 ARS 1,733

-76.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$1.56 ARS 2,361

-69.23%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$1.01 ARS 1,534

-57.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$7.77 ARS 11.8K

-27.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.13 ARS 1,718

-29.20%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$28.5K ARS 43.1M

-12.35%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$29.7K ARS 45.0M

6.63%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$59.6 ARS 90.2K

36.77%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$20.02 ARS 30.3K

-67.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$27.83 ARS 42.1K

-32.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$31.61 ARS 47.9K

79.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$4.73 ARS 7,160

-4.02%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$296 ARS 448.6K

62.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$8,875 ARS 13.4M

-35.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$91.1 ARS 137.9K

-50.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$59.0 ARS 89.3K

-39.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$115 ARS 173.4K

-29.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$136 ARS 206.0K

-42.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$498 ARS 753.8K

123.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$342 ARS 517.2K

104.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$954 ARS 1.4M

281.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$756 ARS 1.1M

129.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

56.56

-75.64%

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 Isidro: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $498 in San Isidro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $37.00 in San Isidro. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $216, with San Isidro cheaper for home cooking.

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 29% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $1,058 including rent). San Isidro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $1,587 in San Isidro to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $498 in San Isidro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,058 in San Isidro – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,058 in San Isidro versus $1,368 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 29% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.