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 $925 per month in St.James vs $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in St.James vs $2,348 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,247 per month in St.James vs $3,327 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

St.James is about 32% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

St.James sits 32% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 TTD 70.6

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

204.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.5 TTD 589

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

141.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 TTD 61.0

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

58.84%

Cappuccino

$3.69 TTD 24.83

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

38.20%

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

$1.00 TTD 6.75

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-42.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 TTD 5.11

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

-12.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.27 TTD 15.27

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

-23.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.60 TTD 24.21

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

-20.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.51 TTD 16.90

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

54.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.48 TTD 16.67

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

6.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.85 TTD 19.17

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

156.76%

Eggs

$4.30 TTD 28.92

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

95.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.50 TTD 43.73

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-63.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.97 TTD 67.1

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

143.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.64 TTD 78.3

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

-4.43%

Apples (1kg)

$5.60 TTD 37.69

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

50.94%

Banana (1kg)

$3.12 TTD 20.99

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

96.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.72 TTD 25.01

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

63.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.17 TTD 28.04

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

113.85%

Potato (1kg)

$2.21 TTD 14.88

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

15.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 TTD 13.00

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-17.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.84 TTD 12.37

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

82.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 TTD 9.01

$0.55 Rp 9,773

143.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.02 TTD 40.50

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

169.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.94 TTD 127

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-17.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 TTD 14.88

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

-8.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.99 TTD 20.10

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

-0.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.07

$0.48 Rp 8,566

118.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.24 TTD 8.34

$0.43 Rp 7,679

188.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.61 TTD 98.3

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

159.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 TTD 7.85

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

46.25%

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

$37.5K TTD 252.2K

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

50.24%

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

$40.4K TTD 271.7K

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

27.36%

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

$91.7 TTD 617

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

12.60%

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

$52.6 TTD 354

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

710.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$56.1 TTD 377

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

198.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$8.90 TTD 59.9

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

96.04%

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

$404 TTD 2,716

$481 Rp 8.5M

-16.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.8K TTD 72.7K

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

89.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 TTD 365

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

19.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 TTD 350

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

44.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$146 TTD 985

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

82.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 TTD 691

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

30.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.75

13.78

-58.27%

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

Last update for St.James: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $88.0 in St.James versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $354 vs $295 – 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: $925 in St.James, $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 48% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,387 per month in St.James and $2,052 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 $925 in St.James and $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $404 per month in St.James and $481 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 $925, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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 $925 in St.James to $1,368 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.