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 $1,374 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,279 in San Rafael, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,313 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,073 in San Rafael, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,252 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,867 in San Rafael, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 7% more than San Rafael, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while San Rafael is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 59.7K

$11.21 ARS 17.1K

-70.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 Rp 634.5K

$50.7 ARS 77.3K

-30.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 Rp 95.8K

$14.49 ARS 22.1K

-63.22%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.5K

$4.30 ARS 6,552

-36.05%

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

$1.73 Rp 31.0K

$2.43 ARS 3,701

-28.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.94 ARS 2,961

-58.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.9K

$4.07 ARS 6,200

-27.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 Rp 79.7K

$4.46 ARS 6,797

-0.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 26.9K

$1.33 ARS 2,033

12.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

$2.27 ARS 3,465

1.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.7K

$2.67 ARS 4,072

-58.80%

Eggs

$2.16 Rp 38.8K

$3.18 ARS 4,840

-32.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 Rp 306.9K

$14.68 ARS 22.4K

16.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.6K

$6.17 ARS 9,400

-37.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 Rp 214.0K

$10.84 ARS 16.5K

9.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$2.31 ARS 3,515

54.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.4K

$2.24 ARS 3,414

-29.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 42.4K

$1.36 ARS 2,080

73.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$3.17 ARS 4,834

-37.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

$2.00 ARS 3,056

-9.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.9K

$1.45 ARS 2,204

64.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$1.92 ARS 2,933

-46.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,825

$2.45 ARS 3,731

-80.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.3K

$2.79 ARS 4,256

-19.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.30 Rp 400.5K

$4.93 ARS 7,511

352.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

$1.72 ARS 2,628

37.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.0K

$3.03 ARS 4,617

-4.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,474

$1.08 ARS 1,644

-76.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.55 Rp 153.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,936

$1.95 ARS 2,978

-77.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,584

$1.01 ARS 1,542

-58.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 101.7K

$4.93 ARS 7,517

14.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.26 ARS 1,914

-35.71%

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

$23.7K Rp 426.3M

$26.9K ARS 41.0M

-11.81%

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

$31.0K Rp 556.3M

$33.3K ARS 50.7M

-6.84%

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

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$135 ARS 205.7K

-38.98%

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

$6.30 Rp 113.1K

$16.88 ARS 25.7K

-62.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 Rp 334.7K

$23.03 ARS 35.1K

-19.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 Rp 982.9K

$31.90 ARS 48.6K

71.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 Rp 331.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.1K

$6.91 ARS 10.5K

-38.64%

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

$484 Rp 8.7M

$172 ARS 263.0K

180.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,590 Rp 100.4M

$4,084 ARS 6.2M

36.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.77 Rp 822.0K

$117 ARS 178.5K

-60.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 Rp 641.0K

$126 ARS 191.8K

-71.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$136 ARS 207.7K

-42.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$124 ARS 189.4K

-35.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Rp 20.6M

$535 ARS 816.2K

114.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 Rp 12.2M

$280 ARS 426.6K

142.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 Rp 62.9M

$942 ARS 1.4M

272.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 Rp 30.3M

$753 ARS 1.1M

124.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 Rp 50.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,257 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-76.64%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 28, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: September 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,147 in Ubud, Bali versus $535 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $51.0 in San Rafael. Groceries tell a different story – $286 in Ubud, Bali vs $284 in San Rafael – so San Rafael wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 7% more than San Rafael, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,062 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,918 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 $1,374 in Ubud, Bali and $1,279 in San Rafael. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $484 per month in Ubud, Bali and $172 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 $1,279, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,374. 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 $1,279 versus $1,374 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.