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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $936 per month in St.James vs $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,628 per month in St.James vs $2,585 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,320 per month in St.James vs $3,732 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

St.James is about 35% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

St.James sits 30% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 7% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.25 TTD 69.6

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

187.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.4 TTD 607

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

174.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.46 TTD 50.7

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

47.14%

Cappuccino

$3.67 TTD 24.95

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

29.68%

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

$1.09 TTD 7.39

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

-18.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 TTD 5.58

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

18.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.83 TTD 12.41

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

-38.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 TTD 20.62

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

-21.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.68 TTD 18.19

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

54.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 TTD 19.07

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

10.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.58 TTD 17.54

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

116.81%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 34.24

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

107.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.99 TTD 54.3

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

-45.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.50 TTD 71.3

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

151.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.13 TTD 95.9

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

18.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.85 TTD 39.71

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

58.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.63 TTD 17.83

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

63.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.33 TTD 29.43

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

60.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 TTD 31.80

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

100.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 TTD 10.12

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

-21.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.32

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

-23.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 TTD 12.82

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

78.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.52

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

94.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.78 TTD 39.26

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

84.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.31 TTD 131

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

-17.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.10 TTD 14.25

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

-23.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 TTD 18.29

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

-6.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.13

$0.45 Rp 7,863

133.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.41

$0.42 Rp 7,305

195.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.98 TTD 102

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

143.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 TTD 7.79

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

36.90%

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

$34.2K TTD 232.0K

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

30.17%

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

$39.0K TTD 265.0K

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

20.16%

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

$80.0 TTD 543

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

1.96%

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

$47.03 TTD 319

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

1090.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.6 TTD 418

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

152.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$10.01 TTD 68.0

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

147.77%

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

$321 TTD 2,181

$303 Rp 5.2M

6.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,320 TTD 49.7K

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

12.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 TTD 407

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

11.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.68 TTD 256

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

-0.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$143 TTD 973

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

65.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 TTD 857

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

59.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

13.28

-59.49%

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

Last update for St.James: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in St.James versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $377 vs $298 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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.James vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $936 in St.James, $1,438 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 54% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,404 per month in St.James and $2,158 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $936 in St.James and $1,438 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $321 per month in St.James and $303 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in St.James, where all-in costs run around $936, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In St.James it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. St.James has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $936 in St.James to $1,438 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 St.James. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.