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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $908 in San Isidro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,492 in San Isidro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,076 in San Isidro.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 53% more expensive than in San Isidro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, San Isidro is 32% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$8.78 ARS 13.0K

-59.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$29.88 ARS 44.4K

8.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$9.13 ARS 13.6K

-45.13%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$1.69 ARS 2,516

66.86%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.27 ARS 1,883

6.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$1.18 ARS 1,748

-38.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.21 ARS 1,791

142.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.80 ARS 4,163

40.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.27 ARS 1,892

40.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.61 ARS 2,393

52.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.83 ARS 2,723

-37.16%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.25 ARS 3,338

7.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$11.96 ARS 17.8K

19.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$5.83 ARS 8,657

-28.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$9.45 ARS 14.0K

27.62%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$1.86 ARS 2,763

95.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$2.04 ARS 3,032

-23.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$0.93 ARS 1,388

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.65 ARS 3,928

-15.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.45 ARS 2,147

36.55%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.42 ARS 2,110

60.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.88 ARS 1,300

19.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.43 ARS 2,125

-44.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$3.21 ARS 4,764

-0.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$4.69 ARS 6,971

400.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.29 ARS 1,918

124.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$3.19 ARS 4,742

-13.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.76 ARS 1,132

-64.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.57 ARS 2,335

-71.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.87 ARS 1,287

-47.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$6.05 ARS 8,986

0.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.04 ARS 1,543

-17.31%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$24.0K ARS 35.7M

10.67%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$26.0K ARS 38.6M

25.17%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$55.4 ARS 82.2K

42.66%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$18.66 ARS 27.7K

-78.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$14.79 ARS 22.0K

61.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$26.01 ARS 38.6K

279.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$14.03 ARS 20.8K

-54.74%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$5.15 ARS 7,645

-22.14%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$329 ARS 488.7K

-9.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$1,094 ARS 1.6M

503.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$80.7 ARS 119.8K

-33.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$68.7 ARS 102.1K

-44.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$107 ARS 159.0K

-17.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$96.1 ARS 142.7K

-20.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$340 ARS 505.2K

199.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$235 ARS 349.6K

188.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$673 ARS 999.7K

415.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$532 ARS 790.0K

292.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$2,286 ARS 3.4M

19.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$1,525 ARS 2.3M

50.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$600 ARS 891.4K

-72.73%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for San Isidro: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $340 in San Isidro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Isidro pays 267% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $30.00 in San Isidro for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $227 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 53% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $908 including rent). San Isidro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 267% lower in San Isidro. 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $340 in San Isidro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 31% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $908 in San Isidro – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $908 in San Isidro versus $1,392 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 53% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.