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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,053 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,662 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,271 in San Juan del Sur, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 30% more than San Juan del Sur, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while San Juan del Sur is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$4.24 NIO 155

-18.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$33.90 NIO 1,242

7.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$5.62 NIO 206

1.60%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.56 NIO 93.8

4.30%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$0.90 NIO 32.79

94.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.73 NIO 26.56

19.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.46 NIO 53.5

102.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$1.97 NIO 72.0

129.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.24 NIO 45.33

30.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.49 NIO 54.6

56.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.22 NIO 44.54

-9.02%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$2.29 NIO 83.7

-3.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$7.77 NIO 285

127.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$6.45 NIO 236

-36.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

$7.21 NIO 264

68.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$3.62 NIO 133

2.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$0.57 NIO 21.05

178.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$1.85 NIO 67.9

23.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$2.19 NIO 80.3

-10.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$3.14 NIO 115

-39.17%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$2.20 NIO 80.5

5.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$1.00 NIO 36.60

1.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$1.02 NIO 37.51

-46.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.59 NIO 94.7

-13.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$9.74 NIO 357

136.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.41 NIO 51.6

71.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.33 NIO 85.2

28.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$1.68 NIO 61.5

-71.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$1.60 NIO 58.6

-73.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$6.68 NIO 245

-15.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.35 NIO 49.27

-40.74%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$23.3K NIO 853.2K

7.08%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$26.3K NIO 962.9K

20.62%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$60.4 NIO 2,212

34.89%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$10.53 NIO 386

-38.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$36.64 NIO 1,342

-48.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$29.97 NIO 1,098

89.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$8.38 NIO 307

-45.82%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$240 NIO 8,802

100.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

$5,957 NIO 218.2K

-4.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$70.3 NIO 2,574

-35.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$71.9 NIO 2,633

-50.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$131 NIO 4,810

-38.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$109 NIO 3,975

-27.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$424 NIO 15.5K

162.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$383 NIO 14.0K

82.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$919 NIO 33.7K

295.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$771 NIO 28.2K

125.37%

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

$343 NIO 12.6K

-51.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.25

34.44%

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 Juan del Sur: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $424 in San Juan del Sur. 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 104% higher in San Juan del Sur, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $34.00 in San Juan del Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $220 – making San Juan del Sur 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 Juan del Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, $1,053 in San Juan del Sur – roughly 30% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,580 in San Juan del Sur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan del Sur, 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $34.00 in San Juan del Sur. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan del Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,053, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In San Juan del Sur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. San Juan del Sur has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,053 in San Juan del Sur to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 San Juan del Sur. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.