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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $868 in San Juan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,372 in San Juan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,877 in San Juan.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 59% more expensive than in San Juan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, San Juan is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$7.11 ARS 10.7K

-53.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$40.20 ARS 60.6K

-10.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$12.48 ARS 18.8K

-54.89%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.58 ARS 3,890

9.30%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$2.19 ARS 3,301

-20.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$1.75 ARS 2,640

-54.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$3.95 ARS 5,959

-23.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.40 ARS 6,638

-2.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.32 ARS 1,998

21.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.41 ARS 2,124

60.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.41 ARS 2,123

-17.02%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.46 ARS 2,201

48.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$2.79 ARS 4,207

531.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$6.28 ARS 9,467

-35.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$10.79 ARS 16.3K

12.88%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$1.39 ARS 2,092

160.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.45 ARS 2,183

13.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.35 ARS 2,030

71.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.41 ARS 2,120

39.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.39 ARS 2,098

32.37%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.44 ARS 2,173

64.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.39 ARS 2,100

-24.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$1.45 ARS 2,195

-62.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.83 ARS 4,263

-18.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$5.07 ARS 7,642

355.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.44 ARS 2,175

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.41 ARS 2,122

117.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$1.03 ARS 1,547

-75.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$2.02 ARS 3,046

-75.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.98 ARS 1,478

-52.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$4.86 ARS 7,328

15.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.12 ARS 1,687

-27.68%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$26.6K ARS 40.2M

-6.04%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$33.1K ARS 50.0M

-6.21%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$137 ARS 206.8K

-39.67%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$10.18 ARS 15.4K

-36.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$18.04 ARS 27.2K

4.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$29.82 ARS 45.0K

85.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$7.17 ARS 10.8K

-40.03%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$173 ARS 260.7K

185.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$4,198 ARS 6.3M

40.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$106 ARS 159.8K

-56.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$43.07 ARS 65.0K

-15.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$57.7 ARS 87.0K

39.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$35.91 ARS 54.2K

119.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$250 ARS 376.9K

345.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$203 ARS 305.6K

242.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$507 ARS 765.1K

617.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$395 ARS 595.1K

334.01%

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

$686 ARS 1.0M

-75.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-74.48%

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 Juan: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $250 in San Juan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Juan pays 311% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $40.00 in San Juan. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $189, with San Juan 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 Juan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Juan wins on cost – living expenses run 59% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Juan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 311% lower in San Juan. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $250 in San Juan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% 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 $868 in San Juan – a 59% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $868 in San Juan versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Juan but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes San Juan the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San Juan delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $868 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Juan hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and San Juan 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 Juan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.