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: $1,865 in Santa Cruz versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,886 in Santa Cruz versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,907 in Santa Cruz versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Santa Cruz is roughly 34% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Cruz 40% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 AWG 3.88

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

21.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.77 AWG 4.96

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

13.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 AWG 7.76

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

277.39%

Eggs

$4.65 AWG 8.31

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

92.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 AWG 14.44

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

-43.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.60 AWG 13.61

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

81.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.67 AWG 11.94

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

-44.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.57 AWG 8.18

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

25.55%

Banana (1kg)

$4.35 AWG 7.78

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

177.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.49 AWG 15.20

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

204.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.81 AWG 12.18

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

204.02%

Potato (1kg)

$6.81 AWG 12.19

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

243.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 AWG 3.45

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-15.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.07 AWG 5.49

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

192.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$4.39 AWG 7.85

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

455.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.10 AWG 18.07

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

216.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.76 AWG 35.37

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-15.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.52 AWG 4.50

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-13.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 AWG 5.35

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

8.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.92 AWG 3.44

$0.27 Rp 4,813

611.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$158 AWG 282

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

1785.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$19.05 AWG 34.08

$0.45 Rp 8,167

4133.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$19.45 AWG 34.80

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

220.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

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

$140 AWG 250

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

76.78%

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

$71.0 AWG 127

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

1636.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$203 AWG 363

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

750.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.1 AWG 124

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-30.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$47.28 AWG 84.6

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

644.57%

Cinema Ticket

$8.38 AWG 15.00

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

108.98%

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

$140 AWG 251

$297 Rp 5.4M

-52.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.2 AWG 140

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

46.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$110 AWG 197

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

189.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$138 AWG 247

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

55.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 AWG 247

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

79.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,275 AWG 2,281

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

24.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$551 AWG 986

$680 Rp 12.3M

-19.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,554 AWG 2,782

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

-55.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,402 AWG 2,509

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

-32.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,661 AWG 6,552

$164 Rp 3.0M

2136.98%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,275 in Santa Cruz and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz pays 2137% 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 34% in total monthly costs ($1,865 vs $1,392 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2137% higher in Santa Cruz, 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: $1,275 in Santa Cruz versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $140 in Santa Cruz versus $297 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 $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,865 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 34% less than in Santa Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.