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 $1,577 in San Rafael, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,395 in San Rafael, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,214 in San Rafael, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 9% cheaper than San Rafael, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and San Rafael sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 7%, San Rafael by 18%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
San Rafael
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57 Rp 61.9K
$11.10 ₡5,047
-67.84%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.58 Rp 564.7K
$59.2 ₡26.9K
-44.93%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.07 Rp 87.8K
$10.00 ₡4,547
-49.30%
Cappuccino
$2.83 Rp 49.0K
$3.73 ₡1,695
-24.13%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 23.2K
$1.99 ₡904
-32.66%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 Rp 12.0K
$1.64 ₡745
-57.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.99 Rp 51.8K
$2.90 ₡1,317
3.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 Rp 66.7K
$4.55 ₡2,067
-15.38%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
San Rafael
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 Rp 30.2K
$1.95 ₡888
-10.77%
White Bread (500g)
$2.54 Rp 44.0K
$2.84 ₡1,293
-10.56%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 20.6K
$2.22 ₡1,010
-46.40%
Eggs
$2.43 Rp 42.0K
$2.92 ₡1,326
-16.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.66 Rp 254.1K
$9.93 ₡4,513
47.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.18 Rp 72.4K
$9.18 ₡4,175
-54.47%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.94 Rp 206.9K
$13.77 ₡6,263
-13.29%
Apples (1kg)
$3.69 Rp 63.9K
$4.59 ₡2,087
-19.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 Rp 27.8K
$1.44 ₡655
11.81%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.69 Rp 46.5K
$4.20 ₡1,909
-35.95%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 40.4K
$3.55 ₡1,615
-34.37%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 33.0K
$3.39 ₡1,540
-43.66%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 Rp 37.9K
$3.12 ₡1,417
-29.81%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 18.3K
$0.97 ₡442
9.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 Rp 12.5K
$2.86 ₡1,298
-74.83%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13 Rp 54.3K
$5.23 ₡2,377
-40.15%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.49 Rp 407.1K
$21.81 ₡9,919
7.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.74 Rp 47.5K
$2.52 ₡1,146
8.73%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 Rp 49.9K
$2.79 ₡1,271
3.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
San Rafael
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,029
$1.02 ₡465
-71.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.17 Rp 141.6K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 7,863
$1.85 ₡840
-75.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,305
$1.86 ₡848
-77.42%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.16 Rp 106.7K
$7.76 ₡3,528
-20.62%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 Rp 14.6K
$1.45 ₡662
-42.07%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K Rp 454.9M
$37.2K ₡16.9M
-29.48%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K Rp 562.9M
$32.5K ₡14.8M
-0.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
San Rafael
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$92.7 ₡42.1K
-15.36%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.95 Rp 68.5K
$26.11 ₡11.9K
-84.87%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.40 Rp 423.0K
$60.5 ₡27.5K
-59.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
San Rafael
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$96.5 Rp 1.7M
$57.3 ₡26.1K
68.51%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.35 Rp 110.0K
$24.16 ₡11.0K
-73.72%
Cinema Ticket
$4.04 Rp 70.0K
$9.86 ₡4,483
-59.03%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
San Rafael
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$303 Rp 5.2M
$575 ₡261.6K
-47.39%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,523 Rp 113.1M
$12.9K ₡5.9M
-49.38%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
San Rafael
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 Rp 933.1K
$61.6 ₡28.0K
-12.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.98 Rp 658.3K
$52.4 ₡23.8K
-27.48%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 Rp 1.5M
$127 ₡57.8K
-31.76%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 Rp 1.4M
$109 ₡49.8K
-27.94%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
San Rafael
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 Rp 17.5M
$779 ₡354.2K
29.96%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$674 Rp 11.7M
$598 ₡272.0K
12.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,390 Rp 58.8M
$1,526 ₡693.7K
122.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,098 Rp 36.4M
$972 ₡442.0K
115.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,985 Rp 51.7M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,339 Rp 40.5M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
San Rafael
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$173 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
10.17
30.58%

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 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $779 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 $59.0 in San Rafael. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $368 – making Ubud, Bali 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
How do living costs in Ubud, Bali and San Rafael compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, $1,577 in San Rafael – roughly 10% apart. San Rafael costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Ubud, Bali compared to San Rafael?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,365 in San Rafael. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Ubud, Bali and San Rafael?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $59.0 in San Rafael. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 24% more in San Rafael, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,438, than in San Rafael at $1,577. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Rafael it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and San Rafael?
It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,438 in Ubud, Bali to $1,577 in San Rafael. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Ubud, Bali or San Rafael safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Ubud, Bali and San Rafael?
If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Rafael makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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