Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Sao Tome and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,081 in Sao Tome versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,841 in Sao Tome versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,601 in Sao Tome versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Sao Tome costs roughly 23% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Sao Tome is 19% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.99 STN 428

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

479.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.96 STN 984

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

42.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.95 STN 213

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

105.58%

Cappuccino

$1.72 STN 36.89

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

-37.45%

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

$1.94 STN 41.57

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

40.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 STN 24.60

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

53.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.63 STN 34.99

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

-45.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 STN 40.27

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

-51.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 STN 28.48

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-23.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.04 STN 22.32

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-57.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.26 STN 48.39

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

93.16%

Eggs

$4.94 STN 106

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

103.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.05 STN 429

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

38.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.87 STN 425

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

356.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.69 STN 528

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

106.09%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 STN 96.2

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

20.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 STN 25.31

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

-27.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.98 STN 85.1

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

45.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.52 STN 75.2

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

57.14%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 STN 55.3

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

34.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.99 STN 42.63

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

-12.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 STN 14.20

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 STN 40.63

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

163.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.32 STN 49.71

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

-29.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.94 STN 170

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-65.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 STN 27.14

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

-54.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 STN 28.68

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

-50.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 STN 26.98

$0.27 Rp 4,778

366.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.14 STN 303

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

127.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.65 STN 35.23

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

103.70%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

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

$22.8K STN 487.7K

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-29.19%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

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

$34.83 STN 745

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

755.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 STN 1,553

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

198.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.62 STN 784

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-62.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.39 STN 629

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

363.56%

Cinema Ticket

$21.14 STN 452

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

429.82%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.10 STN 409

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-74.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 STN 7,560

$992 Rp 17.8M

-64.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 STN 5,021

$673 Rp 12.1M

-65.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$664 STN 14.2K

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-80.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 STN 11.0K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-74.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,840 STN 39.4K

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

-34.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,149 STN 24.6K

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

-48.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$265 STN 5,675

$167 Rp 3.0M

58.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.38

13.28

-44.43%

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

Last update for Sao Tome: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Sao Tome and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Tome pays 59% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $46.00 in Sao Tome vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $411 vs $297 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

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

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

Sao Tome wins on cost – living expenses run 30% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sao Tome the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 59% higher in Sao Tome, 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: $353 in Sao Tome versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,081 per month in Sao Tome versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 30% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,081 in Sao Tome versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Tome but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Tome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sao Tome delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,081 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sao Tome hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Sao Tome 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 Sao Tome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 30% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.