Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sao Carlos Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sao Carlos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $969 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,679 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,389 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 44% more than Sao Carlos, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Sao Carlos is 29% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$4.72 R$24.16

-28.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$39.17 R$201

-1.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$6.72 R$34.44

-17.86%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$2.08 R$10.68

26.92%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$1.29 R$6.59

29.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.76 R$3.92

1.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$1.56 R$7.98

68.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$2.64 R$13.54

62.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.35 R$6.90

14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$1.89 R$9.69

17.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$1.80 R$9.21

-37.22%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$2.88 R$14.78

-27.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$12.06 R$61.8

44.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$5.25 R$26.88

-26.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$9.29 R$47.62

35.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$2.66 R$13.63

36.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.82 R$9.33

-14.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.73 R$8.88

35.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.85 R$9.47

11.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.66 R$8.52

14.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.37 R$7.03

70.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.92 R$4.70

11.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$1.14 R$5.83

-51.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$3.16 R$16.21

-28.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$8.05 R$41.25

195.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.43 R$7.32

61.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$2.95 R$15.13

-5.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.97 R$4.99

-72.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$23.38 R$120

-62.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$1.49 R$7.65

-67.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.93 R$4.75

-51.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$3.53 R$18.11

62.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.23 R$6.28

-38.21%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$19.1K R$97.9K

28.18%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$30.7K R$157.4K

4.58%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$61.2 R$313

36.59%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$13.48 R$69.1

-52.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$24.27 R$124

-21.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$32.74 R$168

70.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$46.41 R$238

-59.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$5.42 R$27.76

-21.03%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$286 R$1,464

70.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$2,914 R$14.9K

100.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$80.3 R$411

-43.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$93.1 R$477

-60.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$137 R$704

-40.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$160 R$817

-49.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$261 R$1,339

327.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$222 R$1,139

215.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$662 R$3,393

434.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$642 R$3,289

174.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$815 R$4,178

246.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$723 R$3,702

217.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$654 R$3,351

-74.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.75

28.19%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Sao Carlos: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $261 in Sao Carlos. 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 285% higher in Sao Carlos, 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $39.00 in Sao Carlos. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Ubud, Bali vs $236 in Sao Carlos – so Sao Carlos 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 Sao Carlos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 44% more than Sao Carlos, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,453 in Sao Carlos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 24% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $39.00 in Sao Carlos. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Sao Carlos, where all-in costs run around $969, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. In Sao Carlos 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. Sao Carlos costs $969 versus $1,396 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 Sao Carlos. 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.