Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Santa Cruz and in Ubud, Bali: $1,285 and $1,349 a month, rent and utilities included.

Santa Cruz, Jamaica
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Santa Cruz
🇯🇲 Jamaica
$1,285
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santa Cruz and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Santa Cruz and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,285 per month in Santa Cruz vs $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Santa Cruz $1,285
  • Ubud, Bali $1,349

A couple spends around $1,988 per month in Santa Cruz vs $2,305 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Santa Cruz $1,988
  • Ubud, Bali $2,305

A family of three spends $2,690 per month in Santa Cruz vs $3,261 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Santa Cruz $2,690
  • Ubud, Bali $3,261

Santa Cruz is about 5% cheaper than Ubud, Bali.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Santa Cruz
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.37 JMD 1,163
$3.32 Rp 59.9K
121.99%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$63.6 JMD 10.0K
$35.64 Rp 642.4K
78.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.45 JMD 1,016
$5.53 Rp 99.7K
16.64%
Cappuccino
$5.34 JMD 842
$2.72 Rp 49.0K
96.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.16 JMD 182
$1.70 Rp 30.7K
-31.76%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 JMD 119
$0.76 Rp 13.7K
-1.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.26 JMD 357
$2.65 Rp 47.8K
-14.72%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.08 JMD 485
$4.38 Rp 79.0K
-29.68%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Santa Cruz
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$4.04 JMD 638
$1.49 Rp 26.9K
171.14%
White Bread (500g)
$2.58 JMD 406
$2.28 Rp 41.0K
13.16%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.57 JMD 248
$1.19 Rp 21.5K
31.93%
Eggs
$3.47 JMD 548
$2.04 Rp 36.7K
70.10%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.33 JMD 1,787
$17.70 Rp 319.1K
-35.99%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.40 JMD 1,010
$3.96 Rp 71.4K
61.62%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.41 JMD 1,641
$12.19 Rp 219.7K
-14.60%
Apples (1kg)
$5.97 JMD 941
$3.66 Rp 65.9K
63.11%
Banana (1kg)
$3.83 JMD 604
$1.52 Rp 27.4K
151.97%
Oranges (1kg)
$7.43 JMD 1,171
$2.23 Rp 40.2K
233.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$3.01 JMD 474
$1.97 Rp 35.6K
52.79%
Potato (1kg)
$3.32 JMD 523
$1.85 Rp 33.3K
79.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.64 JMD 416
$2.42 Rp 43.7K
9.09%
Lettuce (1 head)
$3.01 JMD 475
$0.99 Rp 17.8K
204.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.45 JMD 229
$0.51 Rp 9,255
184.31%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$9.47 JMD 1,494
$2.22 Rp 40.0K
326.58%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.53 JMD 1,818
$22.24 Rp 400.9K
-48.16%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.89 JMD 456
$2.26 Rp 40.7K
27.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.01 JMD 632
$2.97 Rp 53.5K
35.02%
🚌 Getting Around
Santa Cruz
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.25 Rp 4,525
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$7.82 Rp 141.0K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.27 JMD 201
$0.44 Rp 7,923
188.64%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$3.12 JMD 492
$0.43 Rp 7,753
625.58%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.12 JMD 966
$5.41 Rp 97.5K
13.12%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.39 JMD 220
$0.82 Rp 14.9K
69.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$44.8K JMD 7.1M
$23.8K Rp 429.7M
88.12%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.6K JMD 5.1M
$31.7K Rp 572.3M
2.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Cruz
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$166 JMD 26.2K
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
110.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$29.57 JMD 4,664
$6.45 Rp 116.2K
358.45%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$51.8 JMD 8,165
$18.58 Rp 334.9K
178.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Santa Cruz
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$38.40 JMD 6,055
$49.48 Rp 892.0K
-22.39%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$17.65 Rp 318.1K
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.44 JMD 2,119
$4.27 Rp 77.0K
214.75%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Santa Cruz
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$359 JMD 56.6K
$491 Rp 8.8M
-26.84%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,104 JMD 1.3M
$5,674 Rp 102.3M
42.84%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Santa Cruz
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$23.66 JMD 3,731
$44.64 Rp 804.7K
-47.00%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$31.85 JMD 5,022
$34.95 Rp 630.1K
-8.87%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.3 JMD 12.3K
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
-2.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$101 JMD 15.9K
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
26.97%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Santa Cruz
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,125 Rp 20.3M
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$311 JMD 49.0K
$671 Rp 12.1M
-53.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,565 Rp 64.3M
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$499 JMD 78.8K
$1,723 Rp 31.1M
-71.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,732 Rp 49.2M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,284 Rp 41.2M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Santa Cruz
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$408 JMD 64.3K
$164 Rp 3.0M
149.04%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.45
13.78
-31.42%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz: October 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Santa Cruz
$371
Ubud, Bali
$288 22.3% $83
Accommodation & Living
Santa Cruz
$311
Ubud, Bali
$672 116% $361
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Santa Cruz
$248
Ubud, Bali
$104 57.9% $143
Eating Out
Santa Cruz
$168
Ubud, Bali
$108 35.7% $60
Clothing & Footwear
Santa Cruz
$106
Ubud, Bali
$108 1.8% $1.9
Sport & Entertainment
Santa Cruz
$65
Ubud, Bali
$58 11.1% $7.2
Getting Around
Santa Cruz
$17 *
Ubud, Bali
$11 32.4% $5.5

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

Salaries in Santa Cruz are about 2.5 times higher, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $64 in Santa Cruz versus $36 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $371 vs $288 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇯🇲 Santa Cruz
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
08:07 8:07 AM
21:07 9:07 PM
13 h ahead of Santa Cruz
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,217
74,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to JMD – Jamaican Dollar Converter

Jamaican Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JMD (1,000 JMD = 6.34 USD). 1 EUR = 176 JMD (1,000 JMD = 5.7 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,025 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.55 USD). 1 EUR = 20,061 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Santa Cruz Ubud, Bali 18,260 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Santa Cruz
  • Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is cheaper: Santa Cruz or Ubud, Bali?
Ubud, Bali costs about 5% more than Santa Cruz, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,928 per month in Santa Cruz and $2,023 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
What are total monthly expenses in Santa Cruz and in Ubud, Bali?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,285 in Santa Cruz and $1,349 in Ubud, Bali. That’s a gap of about 5%.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $359 per month in Santa Cruz and $491 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Is $1,500 enough for either Santa Cruz or Ubud, Bali?
$1,500 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,285 in Santa Cruz and $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.
Is it better to live in Santa Cruz or in Ubud, Bali?
It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,285 in Santa Cruz to $1,349 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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