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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,422 in Castries, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,362 in Castries, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,302 in Castries, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 2% cheaper than Castries, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ubud, Bali and Castries sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 2%, Castries by 3%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$9.14 EC$24.67

-63.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.4K

$74.5 EC$201

-48.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$8.54 EC$23.06

-35.36%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$3.68 EC$9.93

-28.26%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$1.88 EC$5.08

-11.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.93 EC$2.51

-17.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.71 EC$7.32

-2.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$3.41 EC$9.21

25.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$2.08 EC$5.62

-25.48%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$1.90 EC$5.12

16.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$1.66 EC$4.48

-31.93%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$4.73 EC$12.78

-55.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

$11.04 EC$29.81

57.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$9.16 EC$24.73

-57.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

$14.61 EC$39.44

-14.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$8.65 EC$23.35

-58.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.68 EC$4.55

-7.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$8.00 EC$21.59

-70.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$14.84 EC$40.08

-86.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$3.38 EC$9.12

-43.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.99 EC$5.38

17.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$2.19 EC$5.91

-52.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,781

$1.31 EC$3.55

-58.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$9.03 EC$24.38

-75.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.8K

$11.04 EC$29.80

115.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$2.19 EC$5.91

5.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$5.61 EC$15.14

-50.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,803

$1.09 EC$2.93

-75.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,490

$9.23 EC$24.91

-94.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,865

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.56 EC$4.21

-51.28%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

$25.5K EC$69.0K

-4.14%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.4M

$37.1K EC$100.2K

-13.48%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$124 EC$334

-32.40%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$87.1 EC$235

-92.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

$48.46 EC$131

-60.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 987.0K

$40.82 EC$110

37.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$5.49 EC$14.82

-22.04%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$214 EC$579

126.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.3K

$83.0 EC$224

-45.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.5K

$51.7 EC$140

-29.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$112 EC$303

-26.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$110 EC$298

-27.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$451 EC$1,219

147.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$342 EC$923

105.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$1,225 EC$3,307

188.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$705 EC$1,903

150.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$101 EC$273

2693.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$63.8 EC$172

3492.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$1,094 EC$2,955

-84.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

7.75

77.81%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Castries: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $451 in Castries. 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 545% higher in Castries, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $75.0 in Castries. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $431 – 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

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

Castries costs about 2% more than Ubud, Bali, 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 $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,133 in Castries. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,396 in Ubud, Bali and $1,422 in Castries. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $487 per month in Ubud, Bali and $214 in Castries. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,396, than in Castries at $1,422. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Castries it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,396 versus $1,422 in Castries. 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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Castries makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.