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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,871 in Santa Cruz versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,862 in Santa Cruz versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,854 in Santa Cruz versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Santa Cruz is roughly 30% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Cruz 40% above, Ubud, Bali 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

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

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 AWG 3.92

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

25.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 AWG 4.69

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

3.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.50 AWG 8.06

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

278.15%

Eggs

$4.60 AWG 8.24

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

89.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.98 AWG 14.29

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-45.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.51 AWG 13.45

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

79.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.53 AWG 11.69

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

-45.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.46 AWG 7.99

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

20.87%

Banana (1kg)

$4.47 AWG 8.01

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

177.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.43 AWG 15.09

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

213.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.83 AWG 12.22

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

193.13%

Potato (1kg)

$6.85 AWG 12.25

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

258.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 AWG 3.45

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-11.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.10 AWG 5.56

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

192.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.50 AWG 8.06

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

525.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.11 AWG 18.10

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

223.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.55 AWG 34.99

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-16.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.46 AWG 4.40

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

-10.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 AWG 5.33

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

3.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.97 AWG 3.52

$0.29 Rp 5,010

579.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$154 AWG 276

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

1784.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.67 AWG 35.22

$0.45 Rp 7,834

4271.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,278

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.64 AWG 35.16

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

218.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

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

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

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

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

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

$139 AWG 249

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

77.10%

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

$71.4 AWG 128

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

1707.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$201 AWG 361

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

725.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 AWG 126

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-26.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.41 AWG 83.1

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

630.87%

Cinema Ticket

$8.42 AWG 15.07

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

108.42%

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

$138 AWG 247

$303 Rp 5.2M

-54.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.0 AWG 138

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

42.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$109 AWG 195

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

187.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$140 AWG 250

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

61.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 AWG 249

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

76.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,291 AWG 2,311

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

27.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$556 AWG 995

$674 Rp 11.6M

-17.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,546 AWG 2,767

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-54.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,366 AWG 2,445

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-34.89%

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)

$3,557 AWG 6,367

$173 Rp 3.0M

1954.57%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,291 in Santa Cruz and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz pays 1955% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

Santa Cruz and Ubud, Bali differ by about 30% in total monthly costs ($1,871 vs $1,438 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Santa Cruz pays 1955% 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: $1,291 in Santa Cruz versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $138 in Santa Cruz versus $303 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 1785% less than in Santa Cruz. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,871 in Santa Cruz, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Santa Cruz. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Santa Cruz 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 30% less than in Santa Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.