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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $893 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,427 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,961 in Santa Cruz do Sul.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 53% more expensive than in Santa Cruz do Sul, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Santa Cruz do Sul is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$5.49 R$28.22

-37.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$39.51 R$203

-8.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$4.96 R$25.49

15.12%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$1.79 R$9.21

49.16%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.36 R$6.98

28.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.91 R$4.69

-4.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$2.35 R$12.08

25.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$2.95 R$15.15

53.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.04 R$5.32

55.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.63 R$8.37

42.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.06 R$5.46

4.72%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.44 R$12.53

-9.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$9.91 R$51.0

78.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$4.73 R$24.33

-13.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$9.63 R$49.52

26.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$2.45 R$12.59

51.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.40 R$7.19

13.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$1.43 R$7.34

59.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.54 R$7.94

26.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.17 R$6.03

63.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.11 R$5.69

109.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.88 R$4.55

14.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$0.80 R$4.12

-31.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.39 R$12.31

-6.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$7.68 R$39.48

200.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.10 R$5.63

120.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.17 R$11.16

38.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

$1.00 R$5.15

-73.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$1.24 R$6.38

-61.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$0.79 R$4.06

-45.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$7.92 R$40.75

-28.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.31 R$6.75

-38.93%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$23.4K R$120.6K

6.38%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$33.3K R$171.4K

-4.85%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$73.6 R$378

10.74%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$12.12 R$62.3

-46.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$21.99 R$113

-14.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$27.34 R$141

108.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$6.99 R$35.97

-35.05%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$554 R$2,850

-13.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$25.2K R$129.6K

-77.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$50.3 R$259

-9.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$57.3 R$295

-37.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$99.4 R$511

-19.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$77.5 R$398

1.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$543 R$2,791

105.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$300 R$1,543

132.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$917 R$4,714

296.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$617 R$3,172

181.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$393 R$2,021

-57.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.5

19.83%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Santa Cruz do Sul: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $543 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Cruz do Sul pays 134% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $40.00 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $201, with Santa Cruz do Sul cheaper for home cooking.

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 53% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $893 including rent). Santa Cruz do Sul is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 134% lower in Santa Cruz do Sul. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $543 in Santa Cruz do Sul. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $893 in Santa Cruz do Sul – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $893 in Santa Cruz do Sul versus $1,368 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 53% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.