Cost of Living Comparison Between Stellenbosch and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Stellenbosch and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,183 per month in Stellenbosch vs $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,949 per month in Stellenbosch vs $2,348 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,715 per month in Stellenbosch vs $3,327 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Stellenbosch is about 13% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Stellenbosch sits 14% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.17 R 118

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

108.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.86 R 604

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.02 R 82.2

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

-12.08%

Cappuccino

$2.09 R 34.22

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

-21.72%

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

$1.02 R 16.75

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-41.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.79 R 12.99

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

-9.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 R 44.71

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

-7.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 R 52.4

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

-29.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 R 21.88

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

-17.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.16 R 19.07

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-50.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.90 R 31.09

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

71.17%

Eggs

$2.99 R 48.99

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

35.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.72 R 143

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-50.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 R 95.4

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

41.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.54 R 123

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

-38.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 R 28.44

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-53.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 R 23.59

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

-9.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 R 28.92

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

-22.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.83

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

-18.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 R 17.92

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

-42.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.52 R 24.89

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-34.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 R 22.44

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

35.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 R 18.96

$0.55 Rp 9,773

110.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 R 62.0

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

69.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.11 R 100

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-73.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 R 23.18

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

-41.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 R 35.40

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

-28.00%

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)

$0.59 R 9.66

$0.48 Rp 8,566

22.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 R 24.83

$0.43 Rp 7,679

253.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.23 R 85.6

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

-7.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.40 R 22.87

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

75.00%

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

$35.7K R 585.0K

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

43.18%

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

$31.5K R 516.7K

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

-0.51%

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

$101 R 1,661

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

24.50%

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

$30.91 R 506

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

376.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.89 R 571

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

85.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.26 R 479

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-48.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.14 R 281

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

-8.49%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 R 149

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

100.22%

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

$266 R 4,358

$481 Rp 8.5M

-44.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,359 R 38.6K

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

-58.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 R 870

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

16.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.95 R 491

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

-16.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$120 R 1,958

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

48.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.1 R 1,508

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

17.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$696 R 11.4K

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-37.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$486 R 7,960

$698 Rp 12.4M

-30.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,464 R 24.0K

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-59.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,187 R 19.4K

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-31.67%

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)

$2,620 R 42.9K

$168 Rp 3.0M

1459.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.7

13.78

-22.35%

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

Last update for Stellenbosch: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $696 in Stellenbosch versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1459% higher in Stellenbosch, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Stellenbosch versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $204 in Stellenbosch vs $295 in Ubud, Bali – so Stellenbosch wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Ubud, Bali costs about 16% more than Stellenbosch, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,775 per month in Stellenbosch and $2,052 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Stellenbosch, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Stellenbosch and $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 45% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Stellenbosch, where all-in costs run around $1,183, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Stellenbosch it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Stellenbosch costs $1,183 versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Stellenbosch. 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.