Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Barbara and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Barbara and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,770 in Santa Barbara versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,813 in Santa Barbara versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,855 in Santa Barbara versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Santa Barbara is roughly 29% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Barbara 29% above, Ubud, Bali 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.08 ₡5,370

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

251.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.1 ₡26.3K

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

62.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.49 ₡5,106

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

101.23%

Cappuccino

$4.33 ₡1,926

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

62.17%

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

$2.71 ₡1,204

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

54.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ₡858

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

121.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.25 ₡1,443

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

10.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.33 ₡1,923

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

-4.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.44 ₡1,085

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

50.62%

White Bread (500g)

$3.09 ₡1,373

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

32.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.46 ₡1,095

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

121.62%

Eggs

$3.50 ₡1,554

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

59.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.74 ₡4,772

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-39.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 ₡4,761

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

161.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.37 ₡6,388

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

17.98%

Apples (1kg)

$5.11 ₡2,272

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

37.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ₡707

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

Oranges (1kg)

$4.70 ₡2,089

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

106.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 ₡1,780

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

105.13%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 ₡1,703

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

100.52%

Onion (1kg)

$3.61 ₡1,605

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

54.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.14 ₡508

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

12.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₡1,443

$0.55 Rp 9,773

490.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.97 ₡2,655

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

167.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.38 ₡9,059

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-11.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 ₡1,255

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

16.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 ₡1,600

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.19 ₡530

$0.27 Rp 4,814

340.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.41 ₡1,070

$0.48 Rp 8,566

402.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 ₡729

$0.43 Rp 7,679

281.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.92 ₡3,964

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

58.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ₡663

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

86.25%

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

$21.6K ₡9.6M

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

-13.37%

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

$35.6K ₡15.8M

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

12.37%

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

$94.9 ₡42.2K

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

16.55%

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

$37.13 ₡16.5K

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

472.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.1 ₡27.6K

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

230.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$63.7 ₡28.3K

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

11.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$8.17 ₡3,633

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

79.96%

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

$1,006 ₡447.3K

$481 Rp 8.5M

109.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ₡7.6M

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

200.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.6 ₡32.2K

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

59.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 ₡25.5K

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

60.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 ₡56.8K

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

58.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$134 ₡59.4K

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

69.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$830 ₡368.7K

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-25.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$699 ₡310.9K

$698 Rp 12.4M

0.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ₡808.0K

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-50.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,116 ₡496.1K

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-35.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.78

13.78

-36.28%

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

Last update for Santa Barbara: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $830 in Santa Barbara and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $59.0 in Santa Barbara vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $406 vs $295 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

Santa Barbara vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,655 in Santa Barbara and $2,052 in Ubud, Bali 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: $830 in Santa Barbara versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in Santa Barbara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,770 per month in Santa Barbara versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,770 in Santa Barbara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Santa Barbara. 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 Santa Barbara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Santa Barbara 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 29% less than in Santa Barbara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.