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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $794 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,340 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,887 in Sao Carlos, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 77% more than Sao Carlos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Sao Carlos is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$4.43 R$22.53

-22.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$31.87 R$162

1.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$7.02 R$35.73

-31.05%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.82 R$9.25

51.10%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.10 R$5.60

25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.69 R$3.51

8.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.46 R$7.44

104.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.02 R$15.38

27.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.13 R$5.76

53.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.54 R$7.84

59.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$2.54 R$12.92

-53.94%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.32 R$11.80

4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$9.50 R$48.39

52.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.14 R$21.09

5.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$7.75 R$39.46

54.58%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.41 R$12.26

54.36%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.45 R$7.38

12.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.48 R$7.51

85.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.99 R$10.13

12.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.56 R$7.95

23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.28 R$6.50

78.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.94 R$4.81

12.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.78 R$3.98

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$2.13 R$10.86

54.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$8.09 R$41.18

186.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.30 R$6.64

113.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.44 R$12.40

11.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.87 R$4.44

-68.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$21.64 R$110

-62.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.34 R$6.81

-64.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.91 R$4.61

-53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$3.34 R$16.99

86.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.04 R$5.31

-22.12%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$28.6K R$145.4K

-6.80%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$28.8K R$146.7K

11.72%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$71.3 R$363

9.93%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$14.60 R$74.3

-72.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$18.22 R$92.8

33.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$20.61 R$105

378.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$40.07 R$204

-84.18%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$4.30 R$21.90

-7.21%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$312 R$1,588

-2.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$2,734 R$13.9K

142.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$46.91 R$239

15.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$36.70 R$187

3.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$104 R$528

-16.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$91.3 R$465

-16.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$219 R$1,113

353.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$223 R$1,137

201.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$435 R$2,214

675.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$482 R$2,452

325.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$705 R$3,589

297.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$844 R$4,296

163.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$672 R$3,421

-75.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.67

24.46%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Sao Carlos: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $219 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 302% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $32.00 in Sao Carlos. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $203 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 77% more than Sao Carlos, 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,191 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 46% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $32.00 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 $794, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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 $794 versus $1,408 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.