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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,571 in San Jose, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,481 in San Jose, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,392 in San Jose, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 10% cheaper than San Jose, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and San Jose sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 6%, San Jose by 17%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$10.80 ₡4,935

-67.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$59.5 ₡27.2K

-45.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$10.15 ₡4,637

-51.23%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$3.88 ₡1,772

-30.15%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.98 ₡906

-32.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.66 ₡758

-57.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$3.02 ₡1,380

-3.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$4.75 ₡2,171

-16.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.99 ₡908

-9.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$2.89 ₡1,321

-12.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$2.21 ₡1,011

-47.51%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.93 ₡1,337

-16.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$9.72 ₡4,439

51.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$9.05 ₡4,133

-52.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$13.49 ₡6,164

-10.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$4.40 ₡2,012

-12.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.49 ₡682

4.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$4.29 ₡1,959

-34.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$3.45 ₡1,578

-32.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$3.55 ₡1,623

-46.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$3.09 ₡1,410

-28.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.97 ₡443

4.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$2.82 ₡1,288

-72.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$5.40 ₡2,468

-38.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$22.19 ₡10.1K

6.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$2.53 ₡1,156

10.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.79 ₡1,273

2.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$1.02 ₡467

-73.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$41.73 ₡19.1K

-80.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$1.82 ₡831

-74.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$1.77 ₡810

-74.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$7.93 ₡3,625

-23.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.45 ₡661

-45.52%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$37.7K ₡17.2M

-30.70%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$32.4K ₡14.8M

-0.78%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$92.1 ₡42.1K

-13.16%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$26.20 ₡12.0K

-84.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$60.1 ₡27.4K

-60.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$56.7 ₡25.9K

74.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$37.58 ₡17.2K

-82.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$9.98 ₡4,562

-58.42%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$560 ₡256.0K

-45.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$12.8K ₡5.9M

-48.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$63.7 ₡29.1K

-12.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$52.1 ₡23.8K

-26.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$125 ₡57.2K

-29.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$107 ₡48.9K

-27.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$879 ₡401.6K

14.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$541 ₡247.2K

24.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$1,418 ₡647.7K

142.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$1,017 ₡464.8K

100.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$2,258 ₡1.0M

25.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$1,806 ₡825.4K

25.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,042 ₡476.1K

-84.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.17

30.58%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for San Jose: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $879 in San Jose. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 531% higher in San Jose, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $60.0 in San Jose. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $367 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Jose: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Jose is pricier by about 11%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,356 in San Jose. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $60.0 in San Jose. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $1,571 in San Jose. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,419, than in San Jose at $1,571. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Jose it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Jose makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.