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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $763 in São Gabriel, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,196 in São Gabriel, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,629 in São Gabriel, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 84% more than São Gabriel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% 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 64.0K
$5.15 R$26.06
-30.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.50 Rp 582.3K
$27.34 R$138
18.87%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.86 Rp 87.1K
$6.40 R$32.42
-24.06%
Cappuccino
$2.75 Rp 49.2K
$1.06 R$5.39
159.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 Rp 23.7K
$1.14 R$5.75
15.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 Rp 12.6K
$0.82 R$4.16
-14.63%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.91 Rp 52.2K
$1.23 R$6.22
136.59%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.79 Rp 68.0K
$2.96 R$14.97
28.04%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.71 Rp 30.6K
$0.80 R$4.04
113.75%
White Bread (500g)
$2.47 Rp 44.3K
$1.45 R$7.33
70.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.20 Rp 21.5K
$1.10 R$5.56
9.09%
Eggs
$2.44 Rp 43.8K
$1.33 R$6.74
83.46%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.38 Rp 257.7K
$11.11 R$56.3
29.43%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.31 Rp 77.1K
$4.62 R$23.41
-6.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.21 Rp 218.7K
$9.69 R$49.04
26.01%
Apples (1kg)
$3.68 Rp 66.0K
$1.11 R$5.63
231.53%
Banana (1kg)
$1.55 Rp 27.8K
$1.26 R$6.40
23.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.79 Rp 49.9K
$0.94 R$4.78
196.81%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.8K
$0.74 R$3.73
214.86%
Potato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.3K
$1.11 R$5.63
77.48%
Onion (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.4K
$0.75 R$3.79
208.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 19.1K
$0.73 R$3.68
45.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.73 Rp 13.1K
$0.61 R$3.10
19.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.28 Rp 58.8K
$1.66 R$8.42
97.59%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.79 Rp 408.4K
$3.88 R$19.64
487.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.81 Rp 50.3K
$0.99 R$5.01
183.84%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.78 Rp 49.9K
$1.40 R$7.10
98.57%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,217
$0.91 R$4.61
-68.13%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.06 Rp 144.4K
$39.04 R$198
-79.35%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.45 Rp 8,047
$1.67 R$8.43
-73.05%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,094
$1.05 R$5.32
-57.14%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.24 Rp 111.7K
$5.47 R$27.67
14.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 Rp 15.2K
$1.05 R$5.30
-19.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.0K Rp 465.4M
$24.3K R$123.3K
6.70%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 567.2M
$27.4K R$138.5K
15.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.8 Rp 1.4M
$61.4 R$311
31.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.06 Rp 72.7K
$14.61 R$74.0
-72.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.42 Rp 437.6K
$19.67 R$99.6
24.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$97.7 Rp 1.7M
$22.12 R$112
341.55%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.45 Rp 115.5K
$21.29 R$108
-69.70%
Cinema Ticket
$4.04 Rp 72.4K
$6.38 R$32.30
-36.68%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 Rp 5.4M
$314 R$1,591
-3.23%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,621 Rp 118.6M
$2,740 R$13.9K
141.60%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.2 Rp 971.7K
$49.11 R$249
10.43%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.78 Rp 694.7K
$22.90 R$116
69.34%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.1 Rp 1.5M
$81.3 R$412
5.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.7 Rp 1.4M
$62.6 R$317
22.42%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$986 Rp 17.7M
$309 R$1,566
218.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$658 Rp 11.8M
$216 R$1,093
204.63%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,369 Rp 60.4M
$581 R$2,940
480.22%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,066 Rp 37.0M
$431 R$2,181
379.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,741 Rp 49.1M
$1,509 R$7,641
81.64%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,228 Rp 39.9M
$1,237 R$6,263
80.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
São Gabriel
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$163 Rp 2.9M
-
-
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: June 9, 2026

Last update for São Gabriel: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $309 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: $297 vs $169 – 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 84%, 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 $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,144 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 $1,404 in Ubud, Bali and $763 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 $763, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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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