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: $3,177 in St John versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,777 in St John versus $2,588 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,378 in St John versus $3,778 in Ubud, Bali.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: St John 138% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.62 $17.62

$3.43 Rp 61.6K

413.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$163 $163

$31.97 Rp 574.4K

410.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.64 $8.64

$5.05 Rp 90.8K

71.09%

Cappuccino

$6.59 $6.59

$2.71 Rp 48.8K

143.17%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$1.39 Rp 25.0K

111.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

172.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.31 $6.31

$2.89 Rp 52.0K

118.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 $7.11

$3.79 Rp 68.1K

87.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.84 $2.84

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

58.66%

White Bread (500g)

$5.84 $5.84

$2.51 Rp 45.0K

132.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.21 Rp 21.8K

25.62%

Eggs

$6.33 $6.33

$2.37 Rp 42.5K

167.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.70 $17.70

$14.43 Rp 259.3K

22.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$26.69 $26.69

$4.15 Rp 74.6K

543.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 Rp 217.7K

Apples (1kg)

$3.77 Rp 67.7K

Banana (1kg)

$5.18 $5.18

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

217.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

Tomato (1kg)

$8.69 $8.69

$2.26 Rp 40.5K

284.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.93 Rp 34.6K

Onion (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$2.19 Rp 39.4K

98.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$5.06 $5.06

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

396.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 57.2K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.84 Rp 428.3K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.94 $5.94

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

116.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.83 $5.83

$0.27 Rp 4,802

2059.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$139 $139

$8.20 Rp 147.3K

1600.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,684

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.19 $3.19

$0.42 Rp 7,571

659.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.03 Rp 108.3K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 $1.60

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

95.12%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.3M

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$32.2K Rp 578.6M

-28.91%

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

$241 $241

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

208.56%

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

$3.91 Rp 70.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.2 $61.2

$23.91 Rp 429.7K

155.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 117.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.1K

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

$303 Rp 5.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.4K $13.4K

$6,551 Rp 117.7M

104.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$99.7 $99.7

$55.3 Rp 993.9K

80.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.5 $60.5

$38.32 Rp 688.6K

57.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$49.59 $49.59

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

-43.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.04 $49.04

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-36.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,172 $2,172

$986 Rp 17.7M

120.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,803 $1,803

$682 Rp 12.3M

164.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,420 Rp 61.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,047 $3,047

$2,075 Rp 37.3M

46.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K $13.1K

$2,762 Rp 49.6M

375.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,988 $3,988

$169 Rp 3.0M

2263.44%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,172 in St John and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St John pays 2263% 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: $163 in St John vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $420 vs $298 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 ($3,177 vs $1,397 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 2263% higher in St John, 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: $2,172 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 41% higher in St John. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,177 per month in St John versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali – a 127% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,397 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,177 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.