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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,276 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,800 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,324 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 13% more than Santa Lucia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Santa Lucia is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$9.84 CUP 236

-63.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$29.90 CUP 718

8.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$7.20 CUP 173

-29.58%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$3.29 CUP 78.9

-13.98%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.08 CUP 26.02

24.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.87 CUP 20.97

-20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.97 CUP 47.35

51.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$3.05 CUP 73.2

26.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.99 CUP 47.83

-12.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.81 CUP 43.38

40.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.52 CUP 36.57

-21.71%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$3.56 CUP 85.5

-31.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$6.21 CUP 149

136.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$5.72 CUP 137

-26.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$10.80 CUP 259

10.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.76 CUP 66.3

33.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.52 CUP 36.46

5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.08 CUP 49.88

29.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$2.31 CUP 55.5

0.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$2.03 CUP 48.79

-5.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.71 CUP 41.15

28.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.01 CUP 24.25

4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.99 CUP 23.69

-27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$3.96 CUP 95.0

-20.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$11.94 CUP 287

96.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.64 CUP 39.35

67.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.39 CUP 57.4

20.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.22 CUP 5.33

31.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$25.27 CUP 606

-67.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$3.26 CUP 78.3

-86.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.38 CUP 9.17

10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$15.20 CUP 365

-59.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.07 CUP 25.80

-21.50%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$71.3K CUP 1.7M

-63.17%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$81.4K CUP 2.0M

-60.11%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$35.39 CUP 849

121.59%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$14.82 CUP 356

-73.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$247 CUP 5,930

-90.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$39.37 CUP 945

145.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$15.01 CUP 360

-57.69%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$0.98 CUP 23.40

312.24%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$162 CUP 3,888

86.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$3,930 CUP 94.3K

65.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$70.4 CUP 1,690

-23.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$55.5 CUP 1,331

-31.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$98.2 CUP 2,358

-11.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$106 CUP 2,554

-25.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$554 CUP 13.3K

82.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$348 CUP 8,341

94.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$746 CUP 17.9K

354.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$499 CUP 12.0K

320.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$344 CUP 8,264

766.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$369 CUP 8,859

533.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$56.9 CUP 1,366

204.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

4.94

168.83%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucia: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $554 in Santa Lucia. 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 204% higher in Ubud, Bali, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $30.00 in Santa Lucia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $243 – making Santa Lucia 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 Lucia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 13%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,913 in Santa Lucia. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $30.00 in Santa Lucia. 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 Lucia, where all-in costs run around $1,276, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Santa Lucia it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Santa Lucia – 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 Lucia. 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.