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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $879 in San Rafael, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,436 in San Rafael, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,993 in San Rafael, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 64% more than San Rafael, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while San Rafael is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$10.17 ARS 14.2K

-64.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$20.39 ARS 28.5K

59.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$5.95 ARS 8,304

-14.79%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$1.78 ARS 2,486

58.99%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.02 ARS 1,426

31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$1.01 ARS 1,414

-31.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.03 ARS 1,435

190.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$1.53 ARS 2,130

151.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.04 ARS 1,456

67.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.50 ARS 2,088

69.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.41 ARS 1,973

-15.60%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.57 ARS 2,197

54.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$5.36 ARS 7,480

173.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$7.67 ARS 10.7K

-45.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$6.43 ARS 8,969

85.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$1.79 ARS 2,494

106.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.46 ARS 2,031

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.54 ARS 2,155

74.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$0.92 ARS 1,288

153.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$0.71 ARS 993

169.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.73 ARS 1,015

200.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.65 ARS 902

63.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$1.22 ARS 1,709

-40.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$1.75 ARS 2,445

78.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$5.13 ARS 7,151

357.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.12 ARS 1,557

144.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.58 ARS 2,211

82.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.77 ARS 1,081

-62.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.44 ARS 619

2.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.03 ARS 1,434

-59.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$5.01 ARS 6,992

22.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$0.84 ARS 1,169

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$31.7K ARS 44.3M

-17.32%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$33.2K ARS 46.3M

-2.06%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$76.5 ARS 106.8K

2.50%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$6.61 ARS 9,227

-40.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$15.28 ARS 21.3K

59.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$25.84 ARS 36.1K

273.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$13.92 ARS 19.4K

-54.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$6.03 ARS 8,408

-33.00%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$104 ARS 145.0K

191.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$2,131 ARS 3.0M

206.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$83.1 ARS 115.9K

-35.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$78.0 ARS 108.9K

-51.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$149 ARS 207.5K

-41.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$117 ARS 163.1K

-32.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$336 ARS 468.2K

201.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$234 ARS 326.2K

188.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$693 ARS 967.1K

389.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$530 ARS 739.6K

295.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$1,882 ARS 2.6M

58.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$456 ARS 635.7K

-62.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-83.19%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $336 in San Rafael. 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 163% higher in San Rafael, 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $20.00 in San Rafael. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $179 – making San Rafael 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 Rafael: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 64% more than San Rafael, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,319 in San Rafael. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $879 in San Rafael. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Ubud, Bali and $104 in San Rafael. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in San Rafael, where all-in costs run around $879, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In San Rafael it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. San Rafael costs $879 versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Rafael. 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.