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: $1,857 in Saint John's versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,872 in Saint John's versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,887 in Saint John's versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Saint John's is roughly 35% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Saint John's 35% above, Ubud, Bali 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.01 EC$59.4

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

560.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 EC$200

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

106.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 EC$29.48

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

93.96%

Cappuccino

$3.78 EC$10.20

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

34.04%

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

$1.97 EC$5.32

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

12.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 EC$2.43

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 EC$4.92

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

-40.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 EC$12.30

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

6.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.25 EC$6.07

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

39.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 EC$7.43

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

21.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 EC$5.12

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

62.39%

Eggs

$6.78 EC$18.30

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

212.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 EC$21.77

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-54.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.32 EC$22.47

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

105.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

Apples (1kg)

$6.69 EC$18.06

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

84.81%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 EC$6.80

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

53.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.28 EC$22.35

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

258.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.11 EC$21.90

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

313.78%

Potato (1kg)

$2.85 EC$7.68

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

54.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.87 EC$7.76

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

21.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 EC$6.79

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

139.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 EC$4.29

$0.54 Rp 9,560

194.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$5.60 EC$15.12

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-75.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.88 EC$7.78

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

23.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 EC$11.67

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

40.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.63 EC$4.40

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

101.23%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

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

$256 EC$690

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

209.07%

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

$41.37 EC$112

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

537.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.0 EC$221

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

336.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 EC$177

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

19.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.20 EC$16.73

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

44.19%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,836 EC$4,956

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

-68.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.4 EC$136

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

8.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 EC$196

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

-9.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 EC$2,849

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-5.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$679 EC$1,834

$693 Rp 12.2M

-2.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,670 EC$4,510

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-54.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,469 EC$3,966

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-14.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,366 EC$3,688

$167 Rp 2.9M

717.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.5

13.78

-60.09%

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

Last update for Saint John's: September 5, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Saint John's and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Saint John's pays 718% 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: $74.0 in Saint John's vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $350 vs $294 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, Sport & Entertainment. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 718% higher in Saint John's, 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: $1,055 in Saint John's versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% 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 $36.00 versus $74.0 in Saint John's. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,857 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 35% less than in Saint John's. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.