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 $924 per month in St.James vs $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,643 per month in St.James vs $2,549 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,361 per month in St.James vs $3,694 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

St.James is about 34% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

St.James sits 31% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.18 TTD 68.8

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

185.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$87.1 TTD 589

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

167.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.49 TTD 50.6

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

54.12%

Cappuccino

$3.61 TTD 24.42

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

31.27%

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

$1.08 TTD 7.31

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 TTD 5.32

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

12.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.21

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

-37.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 TTD 20.74

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

-19.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 TTD 18.68

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

61.40%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 TTD 18.97

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

13.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.68 TTD 18.12

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

123.33%

Eggs

$5.08 TTD 34.33

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

108.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 TTD 52.8

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-45.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 TTD 71.1

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

144.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.18 TTD 95.9

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

16.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.96 TTD 40.28

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

61.96%

Banana (1kg)

$2.49 TTD 16.81

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

60.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.22 TTD 28.55

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

51.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.62 TTD 31.26

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

98.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.50 TTD 10.15

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-23.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.67 TTD 11.27

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-27.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.94 TTD 13.11

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

83.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 TTD 9.53

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

93.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.86 TTD 39.62

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

78.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.70 TTD 126

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-17.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 TTD 14.68

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-22.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 TTD 19.18

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

2.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 TTD 7.13

$0.45 Rp 8,047

133.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.64

$0.45 Rp 8,094

184.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.03 TTD 102

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

140.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 TTD 7.50

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

30.59%

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

$33.3K TTD 225.5K

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

28.37%

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

$39.0K TTD 263.6K

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

23.16%

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

$81.3 TTD 549

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

0.62%

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

$46.23 TTD 313

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

1038.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.6 TTD 410

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

148.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

Cinema Ticket

$10.28 TTD 69.5

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

154.46%

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

$329 TTD 2,224

$304 Rp 5.4M

8.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,199 TTD 48.7K

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

8.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.2 TTD 407

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

10.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.56 TTD 261

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

-0.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$145 TTD 981

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

68.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 TTD 876

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

68.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $87.0 in St.James versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $376 vs $297 – 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: $924 in St.James, $1,404 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 52% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,386 per month in St.James and $2,106 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 $924 in St.James and $1,404 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $329 per month in St.James and $304 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 $924, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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 $924 in St.James to $1,404 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.