Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between St. Gallen and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,368 a month against $3,635 in St. Gallen, rent and utilities included – about $27,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

St. Gallen
🇨🇭 Switzerland
$3,635
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,635 in St. Gallen versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

  • St. Gallen $3,635
  • Ubud, Bali $1,368

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,183 in St. Gallen versus $2,314 in Ubud, Bali.

  • St. Gallen $5,183
  • Ubud, Bali $2,314

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,730 in St. Gallen versus $3,260 in Ubud, Bali.

  • St. Gallen $6,730
  • Ubud, Bali $3,260

Living in St. Gallen is roughly 166% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St. Gallen 169% above, Ubud, Bali 1% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
St. Gallen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$29.02 CHF 23.90
$3.33 Rp 59.9K
771.47%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$143 CHF 118
$35.18 Rp 633.2K
306.14%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$17.94 CHF 14.78
$5.80 Rp 104.5K
209.31%
Cappuccino
$5.96 CHF 4.91
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
118.32%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.81 CHF 4.79
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
254.27%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.02 CHF 4.13
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
504.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.92 CHF 7.34
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
230.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$6.31 CHF 5.19
$4.30 Rp 77.4K
46.74%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
St. Gallen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.13 CHF 1.75
$1.50 Rp 27.1K
42.00%
White Bread (500g)
$3.10 CHF 2.55
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
34.78%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.59 CHF 2.96
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
204.24%
Eggs
$7.63 CHF 6.29
$2.14 Rp 38.6K
256.54%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$25.24 CHF 20.79
$17.48 Rp 314.6K
44.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$28.21 CHF 23.23
$4.03 Rp 72.5K
600.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$39.20 CHF 32.29
$12.23 Rp 220.1K
220.52%
Apples (1kg)
$3.07 CHF 2.53
$3.55 Rp 63.9K
-13.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 CHF 1.31
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
1.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.30 CHF 1.89
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
2.68%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.87 CHF 4.84
$1.93 Rp 34.7K
204.15%
Potato (1kg)
$1.72 CHF 1.41
$1.88 Rp 33.9K
-8.51%
Onion (1kg)
$2.08 CHF 1.71
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
-9.17%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.26 CHF 1.86
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
128.28%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.16 CHF 0.96
$0.53 Rp 9,475
118.87%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.00 CHF 9.06
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
382.46%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.19 CHF 9.21
$23.01 Rp 414.2K
-51.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.11 CHF 1.74
$2.34 Rp 42.2K
-9.83%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.23 CHF 1.83
$2.91 Rp 52.4K
-23.37%
🚌 Getting Around
St. Gallen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$4.26 CHF 3.51
$0.24 Rp 4,315
1675.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$125 CHF 103
$8.82 Rp 158.7K
1320.52%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$6.73 CHF 5.54
$0.48 Rp 8,684
1302.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.56 CHF 3.75
$0.46 Rp 8,233
891.30%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$78.0 CHF 64.3
$5.45 Rp 98.2K
1331.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.30 CHF 1.89
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
161.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$34.2K CHF 28.2K
$24.6K Rp 442.2M
39.23%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$39.3K CHF 32.3K
$31.2K Rp 561.4M
25.91%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
St. Gallen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$309 CHF 254
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
271.82%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$37.13 CHF 30.58
$6.45 Rp 116.0K
475.66%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.8 CHF 45.11
$18.57 Rp 334.2K
194.94%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
St. Gallen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$79.0 CHF 65.1
$55.8 Rp 1.0M
41.54%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$18.11 Rp 326.0K
-
Cinema Ticket
$30.06 CHF 24.76
$4.38 Rp 78.9K
586.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
St. Gallen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,233 CHF 1,839
$493 Rp 8.9M
352.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$32.0K CHF 26.4K
$5,754 Rp 103.6M
456.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
St. Gallen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$144 CHF 118
$46.19 Rp 831.4K
211.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$63.6 CHF 52.4
$35.33 Rp 636.0K
79.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$144 CHF 119
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
82.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$179 CHF 147
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
128.18%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
St. Gallen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,720 CHF 1,417
$1,142 Rp 20.6M
50.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,662 CHF 1,369
$676 Rp 12.2M
146.02%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,818 CHF 2,321
$3,503 Rp 63.1M
-19.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,152 CHF 1,773
$1,700 Rp 30.6M
26.61%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$11.9K CHF 9,807
$2,784 Rp 50.1M
327.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$9,042 CHF 7,447
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
303.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
St. Gallen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,580 CHF 5,419
$165 Rp 3.0M
3898.85%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
2.1
13.78
-84.76%

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

Last update for St. Gallen: October 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
St. Gallen
$1.7K
Ubud, Bali
$676 59.4% $987
Groceries & Markets
St. Gallen
$565
Ubud, Bali
$290 48.6% $274
Eating Out
St. Gallen
$458
Ubud, Bali
$109 76.2% $349
Monthly Utilities & Internet
St. Gallen
$401
Ubud, Bali
$108 73% $293
Clothing & Footwear
St. Gallen
$239
Ubud, Bali
$108 54.9% $131
Getting Around
St. Gallen
$172
Ubud, Bali
$13 92.7% $159
Sport & Entertainment
St. Gallen
$139
Ubud, Bali
$65 53.6% $75

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,720 in St. Gallen and $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Gallen pays 3899% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $143 in St. Gallen vs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $565 vs $290 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇭 St. Gallen
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
07:42 7:42 AM
13:42 1:42 PM
6 h ahead of St. Gallen
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
78,213
74,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to CHF – Swiss Franc Converter

Swiss Franc exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 0.824 CHF (1 CHF = 1.21 USD). 1 EUR = 0.926 CHF (1 CHF = 1.08 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).

On the map
Between locations
  • St. Gallen Ubud, Bali 11,900 km ≈ 15 h nonstop flight
From you
  • St. Gallen
  • 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
St. Gallen vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than St. Gallen?
Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 166% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: St. Gallen or Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 3899% higher in St. Gallen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between St. Gallen and Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,720 in St. Gallen versus $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 1321% less than in St. Gallen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $2,233 in St. Gallen versus $493 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in St. Gallen or in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,635 in St. Gallen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in St. Gallen. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is St. Gallen or Ubud, Bali more family-friendly?
For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in St. Gallen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, St. Gallen or Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, St. Gallen 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 166% less than in St. Gallen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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