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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $906 in San Rafael, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,433 in San Rafael, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,959 in San Rafael, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 55% more than San Rafael, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while San Rafael is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$10.17 ARS 14.5K

-64.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$19.75 ARS 28.2K

64.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$6.11 ARS 8,726

-20.46%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$1.76 ARS 2,513

56.25%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.02 ARS 1,457

29.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$1.01 ARS 1,444

-30.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$0.98 ARS 1,404

196.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$1.54 ARS 2,205

146.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.05 ARS 1,493

62.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.54 ARS 2,203

60.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.42 ARS 2,035

-15.49%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.63 ARS 2,325

49.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$5.53 ARS 7,894

160.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$7.43 ARS 10.6K

-41.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$6.55 ARS 9,353

86.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$1.72 ARS 2,452

113.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.52 ARS 2,170

1.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.53 ARS 2,181

82.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$0.92 ARS 1,314

153.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$0.65 ARS 927

203.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$0.73 ARS 1,044

216.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.59 ARS 846

79.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.21 ARS 1,733

-39.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$1.76 ARS 2,513

86.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$4.89 ARS 6,985

366.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.07 ARS 1,534

162.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.60 ARS 2,286

73.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.84 ARS 1,194

-65.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.45 ARS 643

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.98 ARS 1,396

-54.08%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$4.97 ARS 7,096

25.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$0.83 ARS 1,191

2.41%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$31.9K ARS 45.6M

-18.57%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$33.0K ARS 47.1M

-4.00%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$76.2 ARS 108.9K

5.97%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$6.71 ARS 9,590

-39.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$15.38 ARS 22.0K

58.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$25.70 ARS 36.7K

280.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$13.55 ARS 19.4K

-52.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$6.03 ARS 8,617

-33.00%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$102 ARS 145.7K

198.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$2,199 ARS 3.1M

201.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$80.7 ARS 115.3K

-32.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$77.2 ARS 110.3K

-49.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$147 ARS 209.5K

-41.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$117 ARS 167.3K

-34.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$340 ARS 485.2K

190.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$238 ARS 339.8K

176.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$690 ARS 985.3K

388.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$530 ARS 757.8K

289.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$2,309 ARS 3.3M

18.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for San Rafael: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $340 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $20.00 in San Rafael. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 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 55% 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 $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,359 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 $1,404 in Ubud, Bali and $906 in San Rafael. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $102 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 $906, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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 $906 versus $1,404 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.