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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $922 in San José.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,443 in San José.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,965 in San José.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 49% more expensive than in San José, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, San José is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$14.73 UYU 592

-77.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 631.0K

$37.51 UYU 1,509

-4.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.2K

$12.66 UYU 509

-55.53%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$4.95 UYU 199

-43.03%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$2.40 UYU 96.7

-27.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$2.43 UYU 97.6

-67.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$3.84 UYU 154

-20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.67 UYU 228

-24.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$0.99 UYU 40.02

62.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 40.0K

$2.04 UYU 82.1

11.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.47 UYU 59.0

-20.41%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.63 UYU 106

-17.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.6K

$11.97 UYU 482

47.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$7.53 UYU 303

-46.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.6K

$11.67 UYU 469

4.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$1.26 UYU 50.8

187.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.47 UYU 59.0

11.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.26 UYU 50.8

83.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.53 UYU 61.7

28.10%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.01 UYU 40.57

82.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.8K

$1.26 UYU 50.5

88.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.50 UYU 60.3

-30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,564

$1.87 UYU 75.4

-71.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$9.83 UYU 395

-76.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.5K

$7.95 UYU 320

190.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$3.12 UYU 126

-25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$3.26 UYU 131

-5.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,366

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,635

$3.50 UYU 141

-86.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,352

$3.51 UYU 141

-86.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.7K

$10.15 UYU 408

-44.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$2.13 UYU 85.7

-61.97%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.5M

$36.1K UYU 1.5M

-30.68%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.2M

$40.1K UYU 1.6M

-22.50%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$115 UYU 4,614

-27.89%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.3K

$23.50 UYU 945

-72.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 331.0K

$46.61 UYU 1,875

-59.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 973.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$12.58 UYU 506

-65.82%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$488 UYU 19.6K

1.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$6,611 UYU 265.9K

-10.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 815.2K

$89.7 UYU 3,606

-48.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.9K

$36.59 UYU 1,472

-0.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$166 UYU 6,669

-51.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$117 UYU 4,697

-32.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

175.60%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for San José: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $38.00 in San José. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $255, with San José 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 José: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San José wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San José the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,067 in Ubud, Bali and $1,383 in San José 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.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $922 in San José – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $922 in San José versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San José but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes San José the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San José delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $922 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San José hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and San José 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 José gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.