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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $802 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,332 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,862 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 76% more than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Santa Cruz is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

$2.88 BOB 30.62

19.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

$26.73 BOB 285

20.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

$7.20 BOB 76.7

-32.78%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

$2.85 BOB 30.34

-3.51%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.78 BOB 8.32

76.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$0.66 BOB 6.99

13.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

$1.43 BOB 15.26

109.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

$1.94 BOB 20.65

98.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.09 BOB 11.56

59.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

$1.35 BOB 14.39

82.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$1.30 BOB 13.84

-10.00%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

$1.76 BOB 18.70

38.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

$4.75 BOB 50.5

205.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

$4.04 BOB 43.01

7.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

$6.29 BOB 67.0

90.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

$2.70 BOB 28.79

37.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$0.97 BOB 10.29

68.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

$1.15 BOB 12.21

138.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

$1.03 BOB 10.99

117.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

$0.91 BOB 9.73

110.99%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

$1.00 BOB 10.63

128.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$0.79 BOB 8.42

34.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.11 BOB 11.78

-35.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

$2.24 BOB 23.85

46.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

$7.30 BOB 77.7

217.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

$1.41 BOB 15.03

97.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

$2.03 BOB 21.66

34.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,765

$0.30 BOB 3.15

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

$21.01 BOB 224

-61.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,636

$2.95 BOB 31.42

-83.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,511

$1.43 BOB 15.23

-70.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

$7.42 BOB 79.0

-16.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.58 BOB 6.20

39.66%

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

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

$29.1K BOB 310.2K

-8.63%

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

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

$27.4K BOB 291.7K

17.52%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$55.4 BOB 590

41.48%

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

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

$22.26 BOB 237

-81.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

$33.17 BOB 353

-26.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$32.35 BOB 345

204.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

$21.67 BOB 231

-70.74%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

$7.37 BOB 78.5

-45.86%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$203 BOB 2,161

50.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

$4,245 BOB 45.2K

56.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

$42.54 BOB 453

27.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

$47.82 BOB 509

-20.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$84.2 BOB 896

3.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$59.8 BOB 637

27.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.7M

$415 BOB 4,415

139.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.0M

$258 BOB 2,747

160.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

$739 BOB 7,867

356.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

$643 BOB 6,849

218.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

$1,502 BOB 16.0K

86.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

$988 BOB 10.5K

125.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$475 BOB 5,061

-64.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.67

99.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $415 in Santa Cruz. 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 185% higher in Santa Cruz, 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $27.00 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $166 – making Santa Cruz 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 Santa Cruz: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,202 in Santa Cruz. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 79% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $27.00 in Santa Cruz. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Santa Cruz, where all-in costs run around $802, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Santa Cruz it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Cruz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Santa Cruz. 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.