Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Santa Barbara Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Santa Barbara

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,539 in Santa Barbara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,364 in Santa Barbara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,190 in Santa Barbara.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 7% less than in Santa Barbara, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 7% above, Santa Barbara 15% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$10.87 ₡4,945

-67.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$59.0 ₡26.8K

-44.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$10.16 ₡4,621

-50.10%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$3.77 ₡1,716

-24.93%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$2.05 ₡934

-34.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$1.59 ₡722

-56.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.99 ₡1,362

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$4.70 ₡2,139

-18.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.96 ₡890

-11.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$2.87 ₡1,307

-11.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$2.21 ₡1,003

-46.15%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$3.04 ₡1,383

-20.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$8.68 ₡3,948

68.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$8.85 ₡4,026

-52.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$13.81 ₡6,281

-13.54%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$4.39 ₡1,997

-15.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.27 ₡578

26.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.41 ₡1,098

11.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$3.55 ₡1,612

-34.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$2.95 ₡1,342

-35.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$2.94 ₡1,337

-25.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.73 ₡332

45.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$2.92 ₡1,326

-75.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$5.19 ₡2,361

-39.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$13.09 ₡5,952

79.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.42 ₡1,101

13.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.83 ₡1,286

1.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$1.01 ₡459

-71.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.78 ₡810

-74.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.04 ₡472

-59.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$7.84 ₡3,566

-21.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.47 ₡666

-42.86%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$37.6K ₡17.1M

-30.21%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$33.0K ₡15.0M

-1.43%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$68.5 ₡31.1K

14.50%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$26.24 ₡11.9K

-84.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$58.6 ₡26.6K

-58.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$57.4 ₡26.1K

68.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$23.42 ₡10.6K

-72.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$9.18 ₡4,176

-55.99%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$573 ₡260.7K

-47.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$12.5K ₡5.7M

-48.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$63.7 ₡28.9K

-15.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$50.6 ₡23.0K

-25.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$125 ₡56.7K

-30.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$107 ₡48.5K

-26.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$755 ₡343.4K

34.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$592 ₡269.2K

13.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$1,534 ₡697.6K

120.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$954 ₡433.8K

119.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$1,862 ₡846.7K

60.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$1,802 ₡819.3K

29.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

47.56%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Santa Barbara: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $755 in Santa Barbara. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $59.0 in Santa Barbara for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $335 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

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

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 7% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,158 in Ubud, Bali and $2,308 in Santa Barbara to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $755 in Santa Barbara. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Santa Barbara. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,539 in Santa Barbara – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,539 in Santa Barbara, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Santa Barbara. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Santa Barbara, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Santa Barbara 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 7% less than in Santa Barbara. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.