Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John's and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint John's and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,671 in Saint John's versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,722 in Saint John's versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,772 in Saint John's versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Saint John's is roughly 16% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint John's 25% above, Ubud, Bali 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.82 EC$37.32

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

287.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$83.1 EC$224

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

154.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.94 EC$29.55

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

115.78%

Cappuccino

$4.00 EC$10.81

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

41.34%

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

$2.05 EC$5.53

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

52.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.91 EC$2.47

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

31.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 EC$4.95

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

-38.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.35 EC$11.76

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

12.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 EC$6.05

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

28.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.83 EC$7.64

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

11.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

59.66%

Eggs

$5.35 EC$14.44

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

120.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 EC$22.25

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-43.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.21 EC$22.17

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

96.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

Apples (1kg)

$6.51 EC$17.57

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

76.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 EC$6.49

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

49.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.06 EC$21.77

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

199.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.21 EC$22.17

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

252.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.88 EC$7.78

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

50.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 EC$7.92

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

33.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.62 EC$7.06

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

147.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 EC$4.87

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

150.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

Wine (Bottle)

$9.17 EC$24.77

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-60.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.68 EC$7.24

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

-2.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.77 EC$10.18

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

30.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.04 EC$2.80

$0.29 Rp 5,010

258.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.43 EC$14.67

$0.45 Rp 7,834

1106.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.70 EC$15.39

$0.42 Rp 7,278

1257.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.66 EC$53.1

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

219.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.75 EC$4.72

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

108.33%

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

$24.1K EC$65.2K

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

-8.02%

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

$20.7K EC$55.9K

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

-36.30%

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

$130 EC$352

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

66.31%

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

$40.98 EC$111

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

937.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.1 EC$195

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

195.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 EC$174

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-33.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$36.92 EC$99.7

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

481.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 EC$16.34

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

49.75%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,831 EC$4,945

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

-71.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.4 EC$198

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-15.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,108 EC$2,992

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

9.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$752 EC$2,030

$674 Rp 11.6M

11.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,645 EC$4,442

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-51.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,494 EC$4,035

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-28.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,361 EC$3,675

$173 Rp 3.0M

686.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

13.28

-58.58%

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

Last update for Saint John's: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,108 in Saint John's and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John's pays 686% 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: $83.0 in Saint John's vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $352 vs $298 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

Saint John's vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Saint John's pays 686% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,108 in Saint John's versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Saint John's. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $83.0 in Saint John's. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,671 in Saint John's, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Saint John's. 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 Saint John's, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Saint John's and Ubud, Bali 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 16% less than in Saint John's. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.