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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $880 in San Rafael, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,409 in San Rafael, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,938 in San Rafael, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 58% more than San Rafael, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% 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 64.5K

$9.94 ARS 14.8K

-64.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$19.78 ARS 29.4K

63.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$6.07 ARS 9,007

-17.46%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$1.78 ARS 2,641

58.43%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.02 ARS 1,509

32.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.98 ARS 1,453

-25.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.02 ARS 1,516

187.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$1.54 ARS 2,289

155.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.01 ARS 1,503

76.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.48 ARS 2,196

65.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.42 ARS 2,112

-19.01%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.62 ARS 2,409

48.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$5.53 ARS 8,214

159.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$7.48 ARS 11.1K

-43.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$6.62 ARS 9,836

82.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$1.79 ARS 2,660

103.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.53 ARS 2,268

2.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.53 ARS 2,272

82.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$0.89 ARS 1,327

151.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$0.71 ARS 1,056

178.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$0.71 ARS 1,059

221.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.60 ARS 895

75.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.23 ARS 1,830

-35.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$1.80 ARS 2,667

77.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$5.11 ARS 7,595

359.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.08 ARS 1,605

168.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$1.66 ARS 2,467

66.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.81 ARS 1,210

-66.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.42 ARS 617

7.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.01 ARS 1,505

-54.46%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$4.78 ARS 7,105

26.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$0.85 ARS 1,258

1.18%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$31.9K ARS 47.4M

-16.74%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$33.9K ARS 50.3M

-3.94%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$78.5 ARS 116.6K

0.64%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$6.56 ARS 9,740

-37.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$15.59 ARS 23.2K

52.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$26.63 ARS 39.5K

270.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$13.92 ARS 20.7K

-54.38%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$5.92 ARS 8,795

-32.26%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$104 ARS 153.8K

186.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$2,127 ARS 3.2M

210.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$82.8 ARS 122.9K

-35.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$77.6 ARS 115.3K

-50.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$149 ARS 221.5K

-40.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$121 ARS 179.3K

-36.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$336 ARS 498.9K

203.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$234 ARS 347.4K

190.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$679 ARS 1.0M

410.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$533 ARS 790.8K

292.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$2,080 ARS 3.1M

31.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$1,499 ARS 2.2M

53.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 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 58% 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 $2,088 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 $1,392 in Ubud, Bali and $880 in San Rafael. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $297 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 $880, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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 $880 versus $1,392 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.