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: $1,374 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,524 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,313 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,152 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,252 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,780 in Sao Joao da Madeira.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 10% less than in Sao Joao da Madeira, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 2% above, Sao Joao da Madeira 13% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$10.18 €8.98

-67.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 Rp 631.4K

$20.61 €18.19

71.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 Rp 95.3K

$7.76 €6.85

-31.31%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$1.17 €1.03

135.04%

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

$1.73 Rp 30.9K

$1.13 €0.99

53.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.00 €0.88

-20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.7K

$3.39 €2.99

-12.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 Rp 79.3K

$2.33 €2.06

90.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 26.8K

$0.92 €0.82

63.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.1K

$0.35 €0.31

557.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.6K

$1.16 €1.02

-5.17%

Eggs

$2.16 Rp 38.6K

$2.77 €2.44

-22.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 Rp 305.4K

$8.50 €7.51

101.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.3K

$5.52 €4.87

-29.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 Rp 213.0K

$6.66 €5.88

78.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 Rp 63.7K

$2.04 €1.80

75.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.3K

$1.44 €1.27

9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 42.2K

$1.80 €1.59

31.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.1K

$2.78 €2.46

-29.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$2.04 €1.80

-11.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

$1.95 €1.72

22.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.2K

$1.24 €1.09

-17.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,782

$0.96 €0.85

-48.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$6.68 €5.90

-66.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.30 Rp 398.5K

$4.63 €4.08

381.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 Rp 42.3K

$1.28 €1.13

85.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 51.7K

$1.64 €1.45

76.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,452

$2.24 €1.98

-88.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.55 Rp 152.8K

$37.39 €33.00

-77.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,897

$4.49 €3.96

-90.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,547

$1.77 €1.56

-76.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 101.2K

$16.61 €14.66

-65.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.92 €1.69

-57.81%

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

$23.7K Rp 424.2M

$34.4K €30.4K

-30.99%

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

$31.0K Rp 553.6M

$38.4K €33.9K

-19.39%

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

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$110 €96.9

-25.04%

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

$6.30 Rp 112.6K

$18.29 €16.15

-65.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 Rp 333.0K

$47.36 €41.80

-60.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 Rp 978.1K

$39.12 €34.53

39.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 Rp 329.7K

$15.61 €13.78

18.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 75.8K

$5.57 €4.92

-23.88%

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

$484 Rp 8.7M

$340 €300

42.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,590 Rp 99.9M

$10.3K €9,075

-45.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.77 Rp 818.0K

$67.4 €59.5

-32.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 Rp 637.9K

$37.69 €33.26

-5.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$85.8 €75.7

-8.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$98.7 €87.1

-18.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Rp 20.5M

$978 €863

17.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 Rp 12.1M

$759 €670

-10.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 Rp 62.6M

$1,559 €1,376

124.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 Rp 30.2M

$1,189 €1,050

41.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 Rp 49.8M

$3,109 €2,744

-10.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,257 Rp 40.3M

$2,339 €2,064

-3.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 2.9M

$1,076 €950

-84.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

3.55

288.17%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 28, 2026

Last update for Sao Joao da Madeira: September 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Ubud, Bali and $978 in Sao Joao da Madeira. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Joao da Madeira pays 552% 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: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $21.00 in Sao Joao da Madeira for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $286 vs $187 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 Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 11% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 552% 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: $1,147 in Ubud, Bali versus $978 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 53% 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 $35.00 versus $21.00 in Sao Joao da Madeira. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,374 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,524 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 11% less than in Sao Joao da Madeira. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.