Back to Resources

    Bali vs San Francisco: A Complete Data-Driven Comparison

    ๐ŸŒด

    Bali

    Indonesia ยท $1,200/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad
    ๐ŸŒ‰

    San Francisco

    United States ยท $4,500/mo

    0.00
    Total
    0.00
    Nomad

    Choosing between Bali, Indonesia and San Francisco, United States is one of the most common dilemmas facing digital nomads, expats, and remote workers in 2026. Both cities offer unique advantages. But the right choice depends entirely on your priorities, budget, and lifestyle preferences.

    In this comprehensive comparison, we analyze Bali and San Francisco across 12 critical categories: Economic Factors, Quality of Life, Infrastructure & Connectivity, Housing & Living Spaces, and 8 more categories. Each category is scored on a 0-100 scale using data from over 20 verified sources, including Numbeo, WHO, Speedtest, and local government statistics.

    Bali earns an overall score of 72.00/100, while San Francisco scores 78.36/100. A 6.36-point modest gap that San Francisco leads. But headline scores never tell the full story. Let's break down exactly where each city excels and where it falls short.

    Bali is described as: "The digital nomad paradise. Unbeatable cost of living but infrastructure gaps remain." Meanwhile, San Francisco is known as: "The tech capital of the world. Stunning geography but extreme housing costs." These reputations are earned. But how do they hold up under rigorous data analysis? Read on.

    Economic Factors

    Bali

    72
    / 100

    San Francisco

    57

    In economic factors, Bali takes the lead with a score of 72/100 compared to 57/100. This category covers employment & income, cost factors, economic environment.

    San Francisco has a commanding lead in employment & income (91 vs 63). Bali has a commanding lead in cost factors (82 vs 24).

    Bali stands out for freelance/remote work market, daily living costs, transportation costs, though job market strength and salary levels could be improved. San Francisco performs well in salary levels and entrepreneurship environment despite the overall gap.

    Employment & Income

    Bali

    63
    / 100

    San Francisco

    91

    Job Market Strength

    38/ 10088

    Salary Levels

    42/ 10095

    Freelance/Remote Work Market

    94/ 10085

    Entrepreneurship Environment

    78/ 10095

    Cost Factors

    Bali

    82
    / 100

    San Francisco

    24

    Housing Costs

    83/ 10012

    Daily Living Costs

    93/ 10015

    Transportation Costs

    89/ 10040

    Entertainment Costs

    88/ 10035

    Healthcare Costs

    84/ 10025

    Education Costs

    55/ 10020

    Economic Environment

    Bali

    69
    / 100

    San Francisco

    70

    Tax Rates

    72/ 10035

    Business Regulations

    58/ 10045

    Economic Stability

    74/ 10085

    Currency Stability

    68/ 10095

    Banking System

    71/ 10090

    Quality of Life

    Bali

    74
    / 100

    San Francisco

    78

    In quality of life, San Francisco takes the lead with a score of 78/100 compared to 74/100. This category covers healthcare, education, safety & environment, climate & nature.

    San Francisco has a solid advantage in education (78 vs 64).

    San Francisco stands out for english-speaking medical staff, natural beauty, universities, though healthcare affordability and natural disaster risk could be improved. Bali performs well in natural beauty and beach/water access despite the overall gap.

    Healthcare

    Bali

    75
    / 100

    San Francisco

    73

    Healthcare Quality

    74/ 10092

    Healthcare Accessibility

    72/ 10075

    Healthcare Affordability

    86/ 10022

    English-Speaking Medical Staff

    81/ 100100

    Mental Health Services

    62/ 10070

    Dental Care

    73/ 10080

    Education

    Bali

    64
    / 100

    San Francisco

    78

    School Quality

    74/ 10055

    International Schools

    81/ 10085

    Universities

    39/ 10095

    Language Schools

    72/ 10080

    Vocational Training

    52/ 10075

    Safety & Environment

    Bali

    67
    / 100

    San Francisco

    71

    Crime Rates

    76/ 10072

    Personal Safety

    79/ 10068

    Political Stability

    84/ 10090

    Natural Disaster Risk

    41/ 10035

    Air Quality

    76/ 10085

    Water Quality

    52/ 10090

    Noise Pollution

    64/ 10060

    Climate & Nature

    Bali

    87
    / 100

    San Francisco

    89

    Climate Suitability

    89/ 10092

    Sunshine Hours

    84/ 10078

    Rainfall Patterns

    69/ 10085

    Natural Beauty

    98/ 10096

    Green Spaces

    84/ 10092

    Beach/Water Access

    96/ 10088

    Mountains/Hiking

    91/ 10092

    Infrastructure & Connectivity

    Bali

    62
    / 100

    San Francisco

    80

    In infrastructure & connectivity, San Francisco takes the lead with a score of 80/100 compared to 62/100. This category covers transportation, connectivity, digital infrastructure.

    San Francisco has a commanding lead in transportation (73 vs 50). San Francisco has a commanding lead in connectivity (85 vs 57).

    San Francisco stands out for airport connectivity, coworking spaces, internet speed, though traffic congestion and driving conditions could be improved. Bali performs well in coworking spaces and taxi/rideshare despite the overall gap.

    Transportation

    Bali

    50
    / 100

    San Francisco

    73

    Public Transport Quality

    29/ 10078

    Public Transport Coverage

    32/ 10082

    Public Transport Affordability

    71/ 10070

    Bike Infrastructure

    41/ 10088

    Walkability

    49/ 10085

    Traffic Congestion

    31/ 10042

    Driving Conditions

    43/ 10045

    Taxi/Rideshare

    91/ 10090

    Car Ownership Necessity

    62/ 10078

    Connectivity

    Bali

    57
    / 100

    San Francisco

    85

    Airport Connectivity

    86/ 10095

    Airport Distance

    82/ 10090

    Train Connections

    0/ 10075

    Bus Connections

    44/ 10080

    Ferry Connections

    71/ 10085

    Digital Infrastructure

    Bali

    83
    / 100

    San Francisco

    85

    Internet Speed

    79/ 10092

    Internet Reliability

    76/ 10090

    Internet Cost

    89/ 10065

    Mobile Network Quality

    81/ 10085

    Coworking Spaces

    95/ 10095

    Public WiFi

    78/ 10080

    Housing & Living Spaces

    Bali

    77
    / 100

    San Francisco

    79

    In housing & living spaces, San Francisco takes the lead with a score of 79/100 compared to 77/100. This category covers housing market, neighborhoods.

    San Francisco stands out for rental costs, purchase prices, neighborhood diversity, though rental availability and gentrification trends could be improved. Bali performs well in expat/international areas and housing variety despite the overall gap.

    Housing Market

    Bali

    78
    / 100

    San Francisco

    77

    Rental Availability

    81/ 10035

    Rental Costs

    84/ 100100

    Purchase Prices

    82/ 100100

    Housing Quality

    79/ 10080

    Housing Variety

    86/ 10085

    Landlord Regulations

    53/ 10060

    Neighborhoods

    Bali

    77
    / 100

    San Francisco

    83

    Neighborhood Diversity

    69/ 10095

    Expat/International Areas

    94/ 10085

    Gentrification Trends

    61/ 10055

    Proximity to Amenities

    85/ 10095

    Daily Life & Services

    Bali

    77
    / 100

    San Francisco

    84

    In daily life & services, San Francisco takes the lead with a score of 84/100 compared to 77/100. This category covers shopping & retail, food & dining, essential services, utilities & connectivity.

    San Francisco has a solid advantage in shopping & retail (84 vs 70). San Francisco has a solid advantage in essential services (87 vs 75).

    San Francisco stands out for electricity reliability, water reliability, restaurant variety, though restaurant affordability and utility costs could be improved. Bali performs well in street food and restaurant variety despite the overall gap.

    Shopping & Retail

    Bali

    70
    / 100

    San Francisco

    84

    Supermarket Availability

    82/ 10090

    Shopping Mall Quantity

    58/ 10070

    Shopping Mall Quality

    62/ 10075

    International Brands

    53/ 10090

    Local Markets

    94/ 10085

    Opening Hours

    73/ 10080

    E-commerce

    68/ 10095

    Food & Dining

    Bali

    89
    / 100

    San Francisco

    82

    Restaurant Variety

    95/ 10098

    Restaurant Quality

    91/ 10095

    Restaurant Affordability

    94/ 10025

    Cafรฉ Culture

    93/ 10090

    Street Food

    96/ 10080

    Alcohol Availability

    68/ 10090

    Food Delivery

    86/ 10095

    Essential Services

    Bali

    75
    / 100

    San Francisco

    87

    Pharmacy Density

    81/ 10090

    24-Hour Pharmacies

    68/ 10085

    Medicine Availability

    79/ 10095

    Postal Services

    61/ 10085

    Banking Services

    79/ 10095

    Laundry Services

    82/ 10080

    Repair Services

    71/ 10075

    Hair Salons/Barbers

    89/ 10090

    Pet Services

    67/ 10085

    Utilities & Connectivity

    Bali

    74
    / 100

    San Francisco

    82

    Electricity Reliability

    76/ 100100

    Water Reliability

    71/ 100100

    Utility Costs

    88/ 10040

    Heating/Cooling

    82/ 10090

    Waste Management

    54/ 10080

    Cultural & Social Life

    Bali

    72
    / 100

    San Francisco

    86

    In cultural & social life, San Francisco takes the lead with a score of 86/100 compared to 72/100. This category covers culture & entertainment, social life, community.

    San Francisco has a commanding lead in culture & entertainment (87 vs 63). San Francisco has a solid advantage in social life (85 vs 74).

    San Francisco stands out for lgbtq+ scene, language barriers, museums & galleries, though nightlife safety and local friendliness could be improved. Bali performs well in expat community size and historical sites despite the overall gap.

    Culture & Entertainment

    Bali

    63
    / 100

    San Francisco

    87

    Museums & Galleries

    49/ 10095

    Historical Sites

    92/ 10085

    Theaters & Performing Arts

    43/ 10085

    Music Scene

    73/ 10090

    Cinema Options

    61/ 10080

    Libraries

    42/ 10085

    Art Scene

    79/ 10092

    Social Life

    Bali

    74
    / 100

    San Francisco

    85

    Nightlife Quality

    79/ 10090

    Nightlife Safety

    71/ 10070

    Festival Calendar

    91/ 10085

    Sports Culture

    82/ 10080

    Social Clubs

    81/ 10085

    Dating Scene

    76/ 10085

    LGBTQ+ Scene

    37/ 10098

    Community

    Bali

    82
    / 100

    San Francisco

    86

    Local Friendliness

    91/ 10070

    Expat Community Size

    95/ 10090

    Expat Integration

    81/ 10080

    Language Barriers

    54/ 10098

    Cultural Events

    87/ 10090

    Professional & Career

    Bali

    76
    / 100

    San Francisco

    82

    In professional & career, San Francisco takes the lead with a score of 82/100 compared to 76/100. This category covers business environment, work environment, market opportunities.

    San Francisco has a commanding lead in business environment (92 vs 71). Bali has a solid advantage in work environment (86 vs 76).

    San Francisco stands out for startup ecosystem, industry clusters, coworking culture, though competition level and work-life balance could be improved. Bali performs well in coworking culture and remote work acceptance despite the overall gap.

    Business Environment

    Bali

    71
    / 100

    San Francisco

    92

    Industry Clusters

    71/ 10095

    Major Companies

    41/ 10090

    Startup Ecosystem

    69/ 10096

    Coworking Culture

    94/ 10095

    Professional Networking

    89/ 10092

    Business Associations

    62/ 10085

    Work Environment

    Bali

    86
    / 100

    San Francisco

    76

    Work-Life Balance

    91/ 10055

    Remote Work Acceptance

    94/ 10085

    Internet for Work

    83/ 10095

    Time Zone

    77/ 10080

    Business Visa Options

    84/ 10065

    Market Opportunities

    Bali

    72
    / 100

    San Francisco

    70

    Client Base

    72/ 10090

    Freelance Market

    91/ 10085

    Competition Level

    52/ 10035

    Lifestyle & Pace

    Bali

    75
    / 100

    San Francisco

    75

    In lifestyle & pace, Bali takes the lead with a score of 75/100 compared to 75/100. This category covers daily rhythm, lifestyle options, tourism impact.

    Bali has a solid advantage in daily rhythm (81 vs 70).

    Bali stands out for outdoor lifestyle, fitness culture, pace of life, though crowding and tourist volume could be improved. San Francisco performs well in outdoor lifestyle and health consciousness despite the overall gap.

    Daily Rhythm

    Bali

    81
    / 100

    San Francisco

    70

    Pace of Life

    89/ 10060

    Working Hours Culture

    86/ 10050

    Dining Hours

    79/ 10080

    Shop Opening Hours

    72/ 10075

    Weekend Culture

    81/ 10085

    Lifestyle Options

    Bali

    82
    / 100

    San Francisco

    85

    Outdoor Lifestyle

    96/ 10095

    Fitness Culture

    90/ 10090

    Health Consciousness

    84/ 10092

    Pet Friendliness

    69/ 10085

    Family Orientation

    71/ 10065

    Tourism Impact

    Bali

    62
    / 100

    San Francisco

    71

    Tourist Volume

    45/ 10060

    Tourism Seasonality

    63/ 10080

    Tourist Infrastructure

    83/ 10090

    Authenticity

    79/ 10070

    Crowding

    39/ 10055

    Legal & Administrative

    Bali

    65
    / 100

    San Francisco

    77

    In legal & administrative, San Francisco takes the lead with a score of 77/100 compared to 65/100. This category covers visa & residency, administration, rights & freedoms.

    Bali has a solid advantage in visa & residency (67 vs 57). San Francisco has a solid advantage in administration (80 vs 64). San Francisco has a commanding lead in rights & freedoms (93 vs 63).

    San Francisco stands out for lgbtq+ rights, freedom of speech, religious freedom, though visa requirements and residency process could be improved. Bali performs well in visa requirements and residency options despite the overall gap.

    Visa & Residency

    Bali

    67
    / 100

    San Francisco

    57

    Visa Requirements

    89/ 10040

    Residency Options

    85/ 10060

    Residency Process

    59/ 10050

    Citizenship Pathway

    22/ 10055

    Deportation Risk

    79/ 10080

    Administration

    Bali

    64
    / 100

    San Francisco

    80

    Bureaucracy Level

    43/ 10065

    Digital Government

    61/ 10085

    Document Requirements

    64/ 10070

    Language Requirements

    82/ 10090

    Legal System

    68/ 10090

    Rights & Freedoms

    Bali

    63
    / 100

    San Francisco

    93

    Freedom of Speech

    71/ 10095

    Religious Freedom

    79/ 10095

    Women's Rights

    69/ 10090

    LGBTQ+ Rights

    34/ 10098

    Worker Rights

    63/ 10085

    Family & Children

    Bali

    70
    / 100

    San Francisco

    75

    In family & children, San Francisco takes the lead with a score of 75/100 compared to 70/100. This category covers child-friendly infrastructure, family services.

    San Francisco has a solid advantage in child-friendly infrastructure (83 vs 70).

    San Francisco stands out for kid activities, pediatric care, playgrounds, though childcare costs and child safety could be improved. Bali performs well in child safety and family housing despite the overall gap.

    Child-Friendly Infrastructure

    Bali

    70
    / 100

    San Francisco

    83

    Playgrounds

    62/ 10085

    Kid Activities

    73/ 10090

    Child Safety

    80/ 10070

    Pediatric Care

    71/ 10090

    Baby/Toddler Facilities

    63/ 10080

    Family Services

    Bali

    71
    / 100

    San Francisco

    66

    Childcare Availability

    69/ 10075

    Childcare Costs

    64/ 10020

    School Holidays

    72/ 10080

    Extracurricular Activities

    71/ 10085

    Family Housing

    79/ 10070

    Practical Considerations

    Bali

    70
    / 100

    San Francisco

    80

    In practical considerations, San Francisco takes the lead with a score of 80/100 compared to 70/100. This category covers transportation costs, special services, communication, emergency services.

    San Francisco has a solid advantage in special services (86 vs 69). San Francisco has a solid advantage in communication (85 vs 68). San Francisco has a solid advantage in emergency services (88 vs 69).

    San Francisco stands out for emergency numbers, gas station density, legal services, though fuel prices and vehicle costs could be improved. Bali performs well in fuel prices and vehicle costs despite the overall gap.

    Transportation Costs

    Bali

    73
    / 100

    San Francisco

    64

    Fuel Prices

    91/ 10035

    Gas Station Density

    82/ 10090

    EV Infrastructure

    39/ 10085

    Vehicle Costs

    84/ 10040

    Vehicle Maintenance

    71/ 10070

    Special Services

    Bali

    69
    / 100

    San Francisco

    86

    Moving Services

    69/ 10085

    Storage Facilities

    58/ 10080

    Translation Services

    78/ 10085

    Legal Services

    71/ 10090

    Accounting Services

    68/ 10090

    Communication

    Bali

    68
    / 100

    San Francisco

    85

    Postal Reliability

    59/ 10085

    Package Import

    51/ 10080

    Language Learning

    79/ 10085

    International Calling

    81/ 10090

    Emergency Services

    Bali

    69
    / 100

    San Francisco

    88

    Emergency Response

    63/ 10085

    Emergency Healthcare

    73/ 10090

    Emergency Numbers

    79/ 10095

    Natural Disaster Preparedness

    59/ 10080

    Specific to Your Profile

    Bali

    74
    / 100

    San Francisco

    81

    In specific to your profile, San Francisco takes the lead with a score of 81/100 compared to 74/100. This category covers remote work specific, personal circumstances.

    San Francisco has a solid advantage in personal circumstances (79 vs 67).

    San Francisco stands out for tech ecosystem, cafรฉ laptop culture, video call quality, though time zone alignment and partner citizenship advantages could be improved. Bali performs well in cafรฉ laptop culture and coworking day passes despite the overall gap.

    Remote Work Specific

    Bali

    85
    / 100

    San Francisco

    84

    Time Zone Alignment

    76/ 10040

    Coworking Day Passes

    91/ 10090

    Cafรฉ Laptop Culture

    94/ 10095

    Video Call Quality

    81/ 10095

    Tech Ecosystem

    82/ 10098

    Personal Circumstances

    Bali

    67
    / 100

    San Francisco

    79

    Citizenship Advantages

    41/ 10060

    Partner Citizenship Advantages

    35/ 10050

    Industry Presence

    71/ 10090

    Language Skills

    67/ 10095

    Religious/Cultural Fit

    73/ 10080

    Dietary Requirements

    86/ 10095

    Hobby Availability

    91/ 10090

    Pet Import Rules

    68/ 10070

    The Verdict: Bali or San Francisco?

    With an overall score of 78.36/100 versus 72.00/100, San Francisco leads on paper. But the "better" city ultimately depends on what matters most to you.

    Bali excels in economic factors. San Francisco leads in quality of life, infrastructure & connectivity, housing & living spaces.

    Use our interactive comparison tool to drill deeper into specific metrics. No single ranking captures the complexity of choosing a new home. But data-driven analysis gives you the best starting point.

    Dive Deeper with Our Interactive Tool

    See the full data breakdown with live filtering and side-by-side analysis.

    Compare Bali vs San Francisco Live