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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,865 in Santa Cruz.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,886 in Santa Cruz.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,907 in Santa Cruz.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 25% less than in Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Santa Cruz 40% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$2.17 AWG 3.88

-17.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$2.77 AWG 4.96

-11.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$4.34 AWG 7.76

-73.50%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$4.65 AWG 8.31

-48.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$8.07 AWG 14.44

77.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$7.60 AWG 13.61

-44.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$6.67 AWG 11.94

80.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$4.57 AWG 8.18

-20.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$4.35 AWG 7.78

-63.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$8.49 AWG 15.20

-67.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$6.81 AWG 12.18

-67.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$6.81 AWG 12.19

-70.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.93 AWG 3.45

18.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$3.07 AWG 5.49

-65.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$4.39 AWG 7.85

-82.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$10.10 AWG 18.07

-68.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$19.76 AWG 35.37

18.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.52 AWG 4.50

15.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.99 AWG 5.35

-7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$1.92 AWG 3.44

-85.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$158 AWG 282

-94.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$19.05 AWG 34.08

-97.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$19.45 AWG 34.80

-68.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$140 AWG 250

-43.43%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$71.0 AWG 127

-94.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$203 AWG 363

-88.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$69.1 AWG 124

42.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$47.28 AWG 84.6

-86.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$8.38 AWG 15.00

-52.15%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$140 AWG 251

112.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$78.2 AWG 140

-31.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$110 AWG 197

-65.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$138 AWG 247

-35.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$138 AWG 247

-44.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$1,275 AWG 2,281

-19.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$551 AWG 986

23.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$1,554 AWG 2,782

123.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$1,402 AWG 2,509

49.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$3,661 AWG 6,552

-95.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $1,275 in Santa Cruz. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz pays 2137% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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 Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Santa Cruz differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,392 vs $1,865 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 2137% lower in Santa Cruz. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,275 in Santa Cruz. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $140 in Santa Cruz. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 1785% less than in Santa Cruz. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,865 in Santa Cruz, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Santa Cruz. 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, Ubud, Bali and Santa Cruz 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 34% less than in Santa Cruz. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.