Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and São Gabriel Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and São Gabriel

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $765 in São Gabriel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,223 in São Gabriel, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,682 in São Gabriel, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 88% more than São Gabriel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while São Gabriel is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.57 Rp 61.9K
$5.09 R$25.38
-29.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.58 Rp 564.7K
$26.97 R$135
20.80%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.07 Rp 87.8K
$6.15 R$30.70
-17.56%
Cappuccino
$2.83 Rp 49.0K
$1.11 R$5.53
154.95%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 23.2K
$1.17 R$5.84
14.53%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.69 Rp 12.0K
$0.82 R$4.12
-15.85%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.99 Rp 51.8K
$1.28 R$6.38
133.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 Rp 66.7K
$2.94 R$14.67
30.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 Rp 30.2K
$0.84 R$4.19
107.14%
White Bread (500g)
$2.54 Rp 44.0K
$1.44 R$7.21
76.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 20.6K
$1.06 R$5.27
12.26%
Eggs
$2.43 Rp 42.0K
$1.29 R$6.42
88.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.66 Rp 254.1K
$10.92 R$54.5
34.25%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.18 Rp 72.4K
$4.62 R$23.04
-9.52%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.94 Rp 206.9K
$9.30 R$46.41
28.39%
Apples (1kg)
$3.69 Rp 63.9K
$1.06 R$5.31
248.11%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 Rp 27.8K
$1.33 R$6.63
21.05%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.69 Rp 46.5K
$0.87 R$4.35
209.20%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 40.4K
$0.70 R$3.50
232.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 33.0K
$1.07 R$5.34
78.50%
Onion (1kg)
$2.19 Rp 37.9K
$0.75 R$3.76
192.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 18.3K
$0.71 R$3.57
49.30%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 Rp 12.5K
$0.58 R$2.89
24.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.13 Rp 54.3K
$1.58 R$7.88
98.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.49 Rp 407.1K
$3.98 R$19.86
490.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.74 Rp 47.5K
$0.98 R$4.87
179.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.88 Rp 49.9K
$1.43 R$7.13
101.40%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,029
$0.91 R$4.55
-68.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.17 Rp 141.6K
$39.23 R$196
-79.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 7,863
$1.61 R$8.03
-72.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,305
$1.05 R$5.25
-60.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.16 Rp 106.7K
$5.42 R$27.03
13.65%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 Rp 14.6K
$1.06 R$5.28
-20.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.2K Rp 454.9M
$24.1K R$120.3K
8.88%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.5K Rp 562.9M
$27.1K R$135.2K
19.90%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$59.8 R$298
31.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$3.95 Rp 68.5K
$14.89 R$74.3
-73.47%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.40 Rp 423.0K
$19.63 R$98.0
24.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$96.5 Rp 1.7M
$22.42 R$112
330.60%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.35 Rp 110.0K
$21.24 R$106
-70.10%
Cinema Ticket
$4.04 Rp 70.0K
$6.41 R$31.97
-36.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$303 Rp 5.2M
$310 R$1,549
-2.52%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,523 Rp 113.1M
$2,699 R$13.5K
141.64%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.8 Rp 933.1K
$48.35 R$241
11.35%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.98 Rp 658.3K
$23.12 R$115
64.27%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 Rp 1.5M
$81.9 R$409
5.92%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 Rp 1.4M
$64.1 R$320
22.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,012 Rp 17.5M
$318 R$1,586
218.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$674 Rp 11.7M
$216 R$1,076
212.91%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,390 Rp 58.8M
$591 R$2,948
473.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,098 Rp 36.4M
$427 R$2,132
391.08%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,985 Rp 51.7M
$1,580 R$7,884
88.90%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,339 Rp 40.5M
$1,040 R$5,188
124.99%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$173 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
10
32.80%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for São Gabriel: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $318 in São Gabriel. 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 $27.00 in São Gabriel. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $166 – making São Gabriel 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 São Gabriel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is São Gabriel cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 88%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,147 in São Gabriel. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in São Gabriel, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Is eating out cheaper in Ubud, Bali or São Gabriel?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $27.00 in São Gabriel. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
What are total monthly expenses in Ubud, Bali vs São Gabriel?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $765 in São Gabriel. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for Ubud, Bali or São Gabriel?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in São Gabriel, where all-in costs run around $765, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In São Gabriel it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Ubud, Bali or São Gabriel more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward São Gabriel – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or São Gabriel?
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.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with São Gabriel. 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.

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