Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between St John and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,188 in St John versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,824 in St John versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,459 in St John versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in St John is roughly 127% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St John 137% above, Ubud, Bali 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.45 $17.45

$3.57 Rp 64.7K

388.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$160 $160

$32.50 Rp 589.5K

391.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.42 $8.42

$4.86 Rp 88.2K

73.25%

Cappuccino

$6.46 $6.46

$2.75 Rp 49.8K

134.91%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$1.32 Rp 24.0K

123.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 $2.04

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

191.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.68 $6.68

$2.91 Rp 52.8K

129.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 $6.83

$3.79 Rp 68.8K

80.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.71 Rp 31.0K

61.40%

White Bread (500g)

$5.68 $5.68

$2.47 Rp 44.9K

129.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.20 Rp 21.8K

26.67%

Eggs

$6.45 $6.45

$2.44 Rp 44.3K

164.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 $17.39

$14.38 Rp 260.9K

20.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.35 $26.35

$4.31 Rp 78.1K

511.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 221.4K

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.8K

Banana (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$1.55 Rp 28.1K

232.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.5K

Tomato (1kg)

$8.71 $8.71

$2.33 Rp 42.3K

273.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.7K

Onion (1kg)

$4.31 $4.31

$2.31 Rp 41.9K

86.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.11 $5.11

$1.06 Rp 19.3K

382.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 59.5K

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 413.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.9K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.18 $6.18

$2.78 Rp 50.5K

122.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.93 $5.93

$0.29 Rp 5,281

1944.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$142 $142

$8.06 Rp 146.2K

1663.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,146

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.02 $3.02

$0.45 Rp 8,193

571.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 113.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$0.85 Rp 15.4K

82.35%

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

$26.0K Rp 471.2M

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

$22.5K $22.5K

$31.7K Rp 574.1M

-29.05%

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

$243 $243

$80.8 Rp 1.5M

201.10%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.6K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.3 $59.3

$24.42 Rp 442.9K

142.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 116.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 73.3K

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.3K $13.3K

$6,621 Rp 120.1M

100.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$102 $102

$54.2 Rp 983.6K

87.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.0 $61.0

$38.78 Rp 703.2K

57.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$50.2 $50.2

$86.1 Rp 1.6M

-41.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.78 $49.78

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-35.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,196 $2,196

$986 Rp 17.9M

122.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,785 $1,785

$658 Rp 11.9M

171.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 61.1M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,996 $2,996

$2,066 Rp 37.5M

45.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K $13.0K

$2,741 Rp 49.7M

374.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,061 $4,061

$163 Rp 3.0M

2385.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.05

13.28

-46.91%

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

Last update for St John: June 8, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,196 in St John and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St John pays 2385% 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: $160 in St John vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $297 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

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

St John and Ubud, Bali differ by about 127% in total monthly costs ($3,188 vs $1,404 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

St John pays 2385% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,196 in St John versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in St John. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,188 per month in St John versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,188 in St John, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in St John. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, St John 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.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in St John. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.