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: $1,842 in Santa Cruz versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,836 in Santa Cruz versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,829 in Santa Cruz versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Santa Cruz is roughly 31% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Cruz 37% above, Ubud, Bali 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 AWG 3.87

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

26.32%

White Bread (500g)

$2.74 AWG 4.91

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

10.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.53 AWG 8.11

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

277.50%

Eggs

$4.62 AWG 8.28

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

89.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.28 AWG 14.82

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-42.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.41 AWG 13.26

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

71.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.78 AWG 12.14

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

-44.47%

Apples (1kg)

$4.37 AWG 7.81

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

18.75%

Banana (1kg)

$4.56 AWG 8.16

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

194.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.49 AWG 15.19

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

204.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.68 AWG 11.96

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

186.70%

Potato (1kg)

$6.82 AWG 12.21

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

246.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 AWG 3.40

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-17.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.98 AWG 5.34

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

181.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.45 AWG 7.97

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

509.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.44 AWG 18.69

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

218.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.67 AWG 35.20

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-13.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 AWG 4.45

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-11.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 AWG 5.54

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

11.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 AWG 3.55

$0.29 Rp 5,217

582.76%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$152 AWG 273

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

1789.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.34 AWG 34.61

$0.45 Rp 8,047

4197.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.23 AWG 34.43

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

208.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

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

$139 AWG 249

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

72.21%

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

$72.7 AWG 130

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

1689.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$205 AWG 367

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

739.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.5 AWG 123

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-29.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$46.81 AWG 83.8

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

625.74%

Cinema Ticket

$8.48 AWG 15.18

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

109.90%

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

$141 AWG 253

$304 Rp 5.4M

-53.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$77.4 AWG 139

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

42.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$110 AWG 196

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

182.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$136 AWG 244

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

58.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 AWG 247

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

79.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,282 AWG 2,294

$986 Rp 17.7M

30.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 AWG 993

$658 Rp 11.8M

-15.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,582 AWG 2,831

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-53.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,386 AWG 2,481

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-32.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,569 AWG 6,388

$163 Rp 2.9M

2083.99%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,282 in Santa Cruz and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz pays 2084% 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,842 vs $1,404 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Santa Cruz pays 2084% 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: $1,282 in Santa Cruz versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $141 in Santa Cruz versus $304 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 1789% less than in Santa Cruz. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,842 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 31% less than in Santa Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.