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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $818 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,366 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,914 in Santa Cruz, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 73% more than Santa Cruz, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Santa Cruz is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$2.93 BOB 20.11

21.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$26.95 BOB 185

21.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$7.08 BOB 48.54

-30.08%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.72 BOB 18.63

-0.37%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.82 BOB 5.65

63.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.66 BOB 4.54

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$1.43 BOB 9.82

104.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$1.94 BOB 13.29

104.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.08 BOB 7.42

67.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.34 BOB 9.23

88.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.34 BOB 9.18

-13.43%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.84 BOB 12.66

33.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$4.58 BOB 31.40

221.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$4.14 BOB 28.40

4.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$6.28 BOB 43.05

93.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.75 BOB 18.89

39.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$0.92 BOB 6.31

69.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.13 BOB 7.73

150.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.04 BOB 7.10

124.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.92 BOB 6.31

107.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.94 BOB 6.43

134.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.80 BOB 5.50

26.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.11 BOB 7.64

-29.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$2.13 BOB 14.61

55.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$7.44 BOB 51.1

219.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.47 BOB 10.07

89.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.05 BOB 14.06

39.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.30 BOB 2.05

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$21.23 BOB 146

-62.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$2.88 BOB 19.73

-84.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.47 BOB 10.07

-69.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$7.29 BOB 50.0

-16.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.55 BOB 3.77

43.64%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$29.5K BOB 202.4K

-11.37%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$27.1K BOB 185.9K

18.54%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$54.1 BOB 371

47.65%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$22.94 BOB 157

-82.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$33.45 BOB 229

-29.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$31.55 BOB 216

212.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$21.52 BOB 148

-69.19%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$7.04 BOB 48.28

-41.05%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$201 BOB 1,377

51.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$4,258 BOB 29.2K

55.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$42.30 BOB 290

31.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$48.34 BOB 332

-20.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$84.6 BOB 580

4.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$60.0 BOB 411

29.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$401 BOB 2,753

150.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$261 BOB 1,793

158.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$754 BOB 5,170

356.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$641 BOB 4,394

218.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$1,511 BOB 10.4K

88.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$844 BOB 5,788

168.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$526 BOB 3,608

-68.58%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $401 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 218% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $27.00 in Santa Cruz. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $167 – 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 73%, 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 $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,228 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 81% 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 $33.00 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 $818, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. 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.