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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,533 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,200 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,866 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 9% less than in Sao Joao da Madeira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Sao Joao da Madeira 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$10.62 €9.19

-66.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$21.00 €18.19

53.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$8.30 €7.19

-39.64%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$1.14 €0.99

147.37%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.14 €0.98

18.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$1.05 €0.91

-30.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.29 €1.99

27.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.30 €1.99

71.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.90 €0.78

97.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.33 €0.29

642.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.17 €1.02

-1.71%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.88 €2.50

-16.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$8.50 €7.37

68.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$5.73 €4.96

-26.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$6.99 €6.05

72.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.09 €1.81

74.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.49 €1.29

5.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.97 €1.71

41.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.91 €2.52

-23.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.38 €1.19

43.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.88 €1.62

21.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.68 €1.46

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.93 €0.81

-15.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$6.16 €5.34

-48.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$4.66 €4.04

404.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.14 €0.99

154.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.68 €2.32

2.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$2.36 €2.05

-88.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$41.88 €36.27

-80.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$4.55 €3.94

-90.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.20 €1.04

-61.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$14.41 €12.48

-57.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.97 €1.71

-56.35%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$38.0K €32.9K

-30.12%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$39.3K €34.1K

-17.25%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$135 €117

-41.26%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$21.18 €18.34

-80.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$42.92 €37.17

-44.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$38.89 €33.68

154.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$5.65 €4.89

-29.03%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$345 €299

-13.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$8,247 €7,142

-19.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$73.1 €63.3

-26.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$34.23 €29.64

11.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$93.1 €80.6

-4.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$156 €135

-50.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$917 €794

11.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$716 €620

-5.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$1,483 €1,284

133.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$1,172 €1,015

78.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$3,235 €2,801

-15.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$2,356 €2,041

-2.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$1,093 €947

-85.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.43

144.57%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Madeira: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $917 in Sao Joao da Madeira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Joao da Madeira pays 568% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $21.00 in Sao Joao da Madeira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $192 per month, with Sao Joao da Madeira cheaper across the board.

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 Madeira: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 568% lower in Sao Joao da Madeira. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $917 in Sao Joao da Madeira. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Sao Joao da Madeira pay roughly 55% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $32.00 versus $21.00 in Sao Joao da Madeira. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,533 in Sao Joao da Madeira, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Sao Joao da Madeira. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Sao Joao da Madeira, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Sao Joao da Madeira are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Sao Joao da Madeira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.