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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $865 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,356 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,846 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 62% more expensive than Santa Cruz do Sul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Santa Cruz do Sul is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$4.44 R$22.46

-19.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$26.64 R$135

22.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.47 R$22.63

8.72%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$1.59 R$8.06

72.96%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.13 R$5.72

16.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.82 R$4.17

-14.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.20 R$11.16

32.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.72 R$13.78

39.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$0.90 R$4.57

90.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.45 R$7.34

70.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.10 R$5.56

9.09%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.14 R$10.85

14.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$11.05 R$55.9

30.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$4.66 R$23.58

-7.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$9.58 R$48.51

27.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.00 R$10.14

84.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.33 R$6.71

16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.32 R$6.67

111.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.52 R$7.70

53.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.14 R$5.76

72.81%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.06 R$5.38

117.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.72 R$3.66

47.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.62 R$3.13

17.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$1.98 R$10.05

65.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$7.73 R$39.12

194.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$0.98 R$4.96

186.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.85 R$9.38

50.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.86 R$4.33

-66.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$38.31 R$194

-78.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.65 R$8.37

-72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.00 R$5.06

-55.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$5.28 R$26.73

18.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.10 R$5.59

-22.73%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$24.4K R$123.4K

6.61%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$27.9K R$141.5K

13.29%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$59.9 R$303

34.92%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$14.75 R$74.7

-72.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$20.19 R$102

20.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$22.23 R$113

339.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$21.87 R$111

-70.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$6.24 R$31.58

-35.26%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$307 R$1,554

-0.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$7,243 R$36.7K

-8.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$48.24 R$244

12.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$57.5 R$291

-32.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$82.0 R$415

5.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$62.3 R$315

23.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$496 R$2,511

98.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$275 R$1,390

139.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$847 R$4,289

297.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$575 R$2,911

259.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$379 R$1,916

-56.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

32.80%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz do Sul: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $496 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz do Sul pays 132% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $27.00 in Santa Cruz do Sul for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $192 per month, with Santa Cruz do Sul 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 Cruz do Sul: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Santa Cruz do Sul differ by about 62% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $865 including rent). Santa Cruz do Sul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Santa Cruz do Sul earns 132% less. 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $496 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Cruz do Sul – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $865 in Santa Cruz do Sul – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $865 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Santa Cruz do Sul but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Cruz do Sul 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 do Sul 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 Santa Cruz do Sul gentler on the wallet – expenses run 62% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.