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 $914 per month in St.James vs $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,615 per month in St.James vs $2,557 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,317 per month in St.James vs $3,723 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 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.37 TTD 69.7

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

190.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$89.0 TTD 598

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

175.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.52 TTD 50.5

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

50.10%

Cappuccino

$3.64 TTD 24.41

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

29.08%

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

$1.05 TTD 7.02

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 TTD 5.26

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

6.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.81 TTD 12.13

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-38.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 TTD 21.30

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

-19.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.69 TTD 18.06

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

51.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.81 TTD 18.85

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

14.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.59

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

127.83%

Eggs

$5.04 TTD 33.86

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

109.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.02 TTD 53.8

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

-44.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.23 TTD 68.7

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

144.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.14 TTD 95.0

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

17.25%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 TTD 39.87

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

63.19%

Banana (1kg)

$2.62 TTD 17.59

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

66.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 TTD 29.76

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

58.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.80 TTD 32.26

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

114.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 TTD 9.64

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 TTD 11.57

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-24.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 TTD 12.82

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

81.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 TTD 9.37

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

77.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 TTD 39.31

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

83.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.42 TTD 130

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-17.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 TTD 14.77

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-24.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 TTD 18.28

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

-1.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.02 TTD 6.84

$0.45 Rp 8,167

126.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.28 TTD 8.63

$0.46 Rp 8,298

178.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$15.00 TTD 101

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

147.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 TTD 7.32

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

26.74%

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

$34.0K TTD 228.3K

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

27.89%

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

$38.6K TTD 259.4K

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

18.67%

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

$79.3 TTD 532

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

0.30%

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

$46.15 TTD 310

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

1028.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 TTD 419

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

161.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$10.11 TTD 67.9

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

152.12%

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

$325 TTD 2,184

$297 Rp 5.4M

9.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,329 TTD 49.2K

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

11.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 TTD 395

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

10.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.85 TTD 254

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-0.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$144 TTD 965

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

62.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 TTD 867

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

68.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 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: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $89.0 in St.James versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $378 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: $914 in St.James, $1,392 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 $1,370 per month in St.James and $2,088 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 $914 in St.James and $1,392 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $325 per month in St.James and $297 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 $914, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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 $914 in St.James to $1,392 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.