Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Monica, CA and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,368 a month against $4,430 in Santa Monica, CA, rent and utilities included – about $36,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

214

Cost of Living Index in Santa Monica, CA
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Santa Monica, CA Living Index
67

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Santa Monica, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,430

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,368

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Santa Monica, CA 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 Monica, CA and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,430 per month in Santa Monica, CA vs $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Santa Monica, CA $4,430
Ubud, Bali $1,368

A couple spends around $6,581 per month in Santa Monica, CA vs $2,314 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Santa Monica, CA $6,581
Ubud, Bali $2,314

A family of three spends $8,732 per month in Santa Monica, CA vs $3,260 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Santa Monica, CA $8,732
Ubud, Bali $3,260

Santa Monica, CA costs about 224% more than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Santa Monica, CA and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Santa Monica, CA by 228%, Ubud, Bali by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$26.77 $26.77

$3.33 Rp 59.9K

703.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$35.18 Rp 633.2K

235.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.88 $14.88

$5.80 Rp 104.5K

156.55%

Cappuccino

$5.93 $5.93

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

117.22%

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

$3.26 $3.26

$1.64 Rp 29.5K

98.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 $2.40

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

189.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.13 $8.13

$2.70 Rp 48.6K

201.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.95 $9.95

$4.30 Rp 77.4K

131.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

-10.67%

White Bread (500g)

$4.57 $4.57

$2.30 Rp 41.4K

98.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.65 $4.65

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

294.07%

Eggs

$5.73 $5.73

$2.14 Rp 38.6K

167.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.77 $15.77

$17.48 Rp 314.6K

-9.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.21 $14.21

$4.03 Rp 72.5K

252.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.80 $19.80

$12.23 Rp 220.1K

61.90%

Apples (1kg)

$4.76 $4.76

$3.55 Rp 63.9K

34.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.29 $2.29

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

45.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

76.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.45 $5.45

$1.93 Rp 34.7K

182.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.88 Rp 33.9K

76.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$2.29 Rp 41.3K

23.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 $2.14

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

116.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.48 $2.48

$0.53 Rp 9,475

367.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.56 $11.56

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

407.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$23.01 Rp 414.2K

-33.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

3.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.91 Rp 52.4K

5.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.52 $2.52

$0.24 Rp 4,315

950.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.0 $67.0

$8.82 Rp 158.7K

659.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 $3.15

$0.48 Rp 8,684

556.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 $1.90

$0.46 Rp 8,233

313.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.68 $32.68

$5.45 Rp 98.2K

499.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$0.88 Rp 15.9K

64.77%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$24.6K Rp 442.2M

49.79%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$31.2K Rp 561.4M

-18.02%

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

$218 $218

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

162.38%

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

$46.37 $46.37

$6.45 Rp 116.0K

618.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.1 $65.1

$18.57 Rp 334.2K

250.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$70.7 $70.7

$55.8 Rp 1.0M

26.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.11 $44.11

$18.11 Rp 326.0K

143.57%

Cinema Ticket

$19.36 $19.36

$4.38 Rp 78.9K

342.01%

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

$1,694 $1,694

$493 Rp 8.9M

243.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.5K $32.5K

$5,754 Rp 103.6M

464.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.9 $88.9

$46.19 Rp 831.4K

92.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.8 $54.8

$35.33 Rp 636.0K

54.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 $104

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

31.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

54.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,328 $3,328

$1,142 Rp 20.6M

191.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,860 $2,860

$676 Rp 12.2M

323.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,804 $5,804

$3,503 Rp 63.1M

65.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,048 $5,048

$1,700 Rp 30.6M

196.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$10.9K $10.9K

$2,784 Rp 50.1M

290.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,924 $7,924

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

253.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,900 $6,900

$165 Rp 3.0M

4093.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

13.78

-51.96%

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

Last update for Santa Monica, CA: October 10, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Santa Monica, CA

$2.9K 64.6%

Ubud, Bali

$676 49.4% 76.4% $2.2K

Groceries & Markets

Santa Monica, CA

$462 10.4%

Ubud, Bali

$290 21.2% 37.1% $171

Eating Out

Santa Monica, CA

$413 9.3%

Ubud, Bali

$109 8% 73.7% $304

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santa Monica, CA

$329 7.4%

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9% 67.2% $221

Clothing & Footwear

Santa Monica, CA

$166 3.8%

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9% 35.3% $59

Sport & Entertainment

Santa Monica, CA

$109 2.5%

Ubud, Bali

$65 4.7% 41% $45

Getting Around

Santa Monica, CA

$90 2%

Ubud, Bali

$13 0.9% 86% $77

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,328 in Santa Monica, CA versus $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 4093% higher in Santa Monica, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $118 in Santa Monica, CA versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $462 vs $290 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Santa Monica, CA

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

17:16 5:16 PM

08:16 8:16 AM

15 h ahead of Santa Monica, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

89,736

74,800

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

IDR to USD in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Santa Monica, CA Ubud, Bali 13,850 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Yes – Santa Monica, CA is pricier by about 224%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,645 per month in Santa Monica, CA and $2,051 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,694 per month in Santa Monica, CA and $493 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 59% more in Santa Monica, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,368, than in Santa Monica, CA at $4,430. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Santa Monica, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Santa Monica, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.