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 $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $582 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,056 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,531 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 140% more than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Santa Cruz is 58% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

$2.12 BOB 25.88

58.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

$16.61 BOB 203

132.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

$4.65 BOB 56.8

18.71%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

$1.82 BOB 22.16

45.05%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

$0.49 BOB 5.96

240.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

$0.43 BOB 5.28

79.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

$0.98 BOB 12.02

168.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

$1.24 BOB 15.10

245.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

$0.78 BOB 9.49

98.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$0.93 BOB 11.32

138.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

$1.06 BOB 12.93

6.60%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

$1.06 BOB 12.94

97.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

$3.28 BOB 40.07

430.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

$2.71 BOB 33.03

42.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

$5.02 BOB 61.3

150.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

$1.67 BOB 20.41

116.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

$0.67 BOB 8.22

132.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

$0.81 BOB 9.84

190.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

$0.75 BOB 9.15

174.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

$0.69 BOB 8.38

175.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

$0.60 BOB 7.38

290.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$0.55 BOB 6.67

87.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,854

$0.64 BOB 7.87

-14.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

$1.98 BOB 24.13

13.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

$4.27 BOB 52.1

457.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

$1.04 BOB 12.71

122.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

$1.60 BOB 19.48

75.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,839

$0.26 BOB 3.20

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

$22.36 BOB 273

-61.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,554

$1.67 BOB 20.37

-71.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,924

$0.97 BOB 11.79

-53.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

$6.15 BOB 75.1

-6.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.55 BOB 6.74

38.18%

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

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

$15.5K BOB 189.0K

58.03%

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

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

$19.4K BOB 236.3K

65.86%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$34.44 BOB 420

142.60%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

$19.90 BOB 243

-67.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

$19.08 BOB 233

-0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

$19.23 BOB 235

191.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

$12.69 BOB 155

46.73%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

$5.95 BOB 72.6

-28.07%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$126 BOB 1,532

287.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

$2,948 BOB 36.0K

98.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

$26.02 BOB 317

75.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

$31.88 BOB 389

14.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

$65.4 BOB 798

25.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$56.8 BOB 693

41.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

$270 BOB 3,290

314.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.5M

$185 BOB 2,261

278.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

$616 BOB 7,516

474.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

$681 BOB 8,311

158.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

$1,288 BOB 15.7K

119.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

$744 BOB 9,071

208.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$291 BOB 3,555

-41.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.17

123.34%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $270 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 72% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $17.00 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $114 – 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 140%, 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 $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $873 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 158% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $17.00 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 $582, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. 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.