Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sao Joao da Boa Vista Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sao Joao da Boa Vista

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $787 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,363 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,245 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,347 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,703 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 75% more than Sao Joao da Boa Vista, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 1% above the global median, while Sao Joao da Boa Vista is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$5.31 R$27.58

-37.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$22.02 R$114

77.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$6.58 R$34.17

-14.59%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$1.96 R$10.20

34.69%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.13 R$5.89

39.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.88 R$4.58

-19.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$1.95 R$10.11

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$1.88 R$9.75

129.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.02 R$5.30

50.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.51 R$7.87

52.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$0.91 R$4.74

13.19%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$2.35 R$12.23

-9.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$9.36 R$48.62

84.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$4.55 R$23.60

-11.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$9.50 R$49.33

30.74%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$1.87 R$9.69

97.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.12 R$5.84

44.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$0.98 R$5.08

131.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.56 R$8.12

27.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$0.75 R$3.92

144.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$0.80 R$4.17

181.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.80 R$4.17

30.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.69 R$3.60

-18.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$2.27 R$11.79

-2.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$5.61 R$29.15

313.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$1.16 R$6.03

106.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$1.82 R$9.46

57.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$0.82 R$4.28

-69.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

$45.03 R$234

-84.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$1.46 R$7.61

-68.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$1.50 R$7.80

-69.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$7.74 R$40.18

-26.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.03 R$5.32

-26.21%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$19.5K R$101.3K

25.97%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$32.2K R$167.3K

-3.71%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$93.8 R$487

-12.36%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$9.77 R$50.8

-35.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$18.93 R$98.3

-2.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$27.00 R$140

107.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

$28.35 R$147

-35.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$5.16 R$26.81

-17.44%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$265 R$1,377

84.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$9,964 R$51.7K

-41.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$53.4 R$277

-13.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$35.64 R$185

0.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$49.27 R$256

61.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$58.1 R$302

39.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$342 R$1,778

234.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$190 R$988

263.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$645 R$3,352

447.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$446 R$2,315

283.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$1,438 R$7,466

93.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$1,176 R$6,109

92.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$636 R$3,302

-73.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.79

7.74%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Boa Vista: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $342 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. 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 276% higher in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, 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 $22.00 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $182 – making Sao Joao da Boa Vista 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 Sao Joao da Boa Vista: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,069 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,180 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $489 per month in Ubud, Bali and $265 in Sao Joao da Boa Vista. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 61% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Sao Joao da Boa Vista, where all-in costs run around $787, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,379. In Sao Joao da Boa Vista it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sao Joao da Boa Vista – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Joao da Boa Vista. 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.