Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Valley Center, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Valley Center, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,806 in Valley Center, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,060 in Valley Center, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $5,315 in Valley Center, CA.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 51% less than in Valley Center, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Valley Center, CA 105% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$25.32 $25.32

-86.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$79.1 $79.1

-50.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$14.93 $14.93

-62.36%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$6.13 $6.13

-56.93%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$3.46 $3.46

-54.34%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$2.80 $2.80

-74.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$7.80 $7.80

-65.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$12.20 $12.20

-64.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$0.97 $0.97

58.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$3.40 $3.40

-32.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$5.69 $5.69

-81.90%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$4.80 $4.80

-55.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$13.11 $13.11

31.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$6.66 $6.66

-39.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$21.86 $21.86

-43.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$6.52 $6.52

-43.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$3.22 $3.22

-49.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$6.39 $6.39

-64.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$4.40 $4.40

-54.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$2.20 $2.20

-16.82%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$1.90 $1.90

18.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$3.06 $3.06

-66.01%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$1.46 $1.46

-61.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$10.10 $10.10

-78.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$8.84 $8.84

162.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$2.26 $2.26

5.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$2.04 $2.04

40.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$1.96 $1.96

-87.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$2.94 $2.94

-84.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$2.51 $2.51

-81.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$59.5 $59.5

-90.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.40 $1.40

-45.71%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$37.1K $37.1K

-33.71%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$25.8K $25.8K

20.38%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$270 $270

-69.54%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$82.6 $82.6

-92.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$66.3 $66.3

-72.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$41.87 $41.87

33.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$12.82 $12.82

-66.77%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$1,433 $1,433

-65.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$36.5K $36.5K

-84.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$86.8 $86.8

-47.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$45.16 $45.16

-20.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$96.7 $96.7

-17.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$140 $140

-41.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$1,554 $1,554

-26.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$1,278 $1,278

-45.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$2,454 $2,454

43.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$2,154 $2,154

-20.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$2,779 $2,779

0.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$2,426 $2,426

-6.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.24

120.83%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Valley Center, CA: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $1,554 in Valley Center, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $79.0 in Valley Center, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $397 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Valley Center, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 103% lower than in Valley Center, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,069 in Ubud, Bali and $4,209 in Valley Center, CA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,554 in Valley Center, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Valley Center, CA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,806 in Valley Center, CA – a 103% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,806 in Valley Center, CA, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Valley Center, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,379 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Valley Center, CA 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 103% less than in Valley Center, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.