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 $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,293 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,823 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,353 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 6% more than Santa Lucia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Santa Lucia is 6% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$10.18 CUP 244

-66.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$29.76 CUP 714

22.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$7.16 CUP 172

-20.25%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$3.39 CUP 81.5

-21.24%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$1.12 CUP 26.92

56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.92 CUP 22.10

-5.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.96 CUP 47.05

50.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$2.91 CUP 69.8

55.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.93 CUP 46.20

-16.06%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.80 CUP 43.27

29.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.48 CUP 35.56

-25.00%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$3.64 CUP 87.4

-39.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$6.25 CUP 150

183.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$5.72 CUP 137

-28.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

$11.08 CUP 266

9.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$2.78 CUP 66.6

33.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.53 CUP 36.79

3.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$2.02 CUP 48.43

12.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$2.19 CUP 52.7

-10.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.97 CUP 47.25

-3.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.80 CUP 43.13

29.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$1.02 CUP 24.39

-0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$1.02 CUP 24.53

-46.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$4.11 CUP 98.7

-45.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$11.84 CUP 284

94.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.64 CUP 39.30

47.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.34 CUP 56.1

28.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

$0.18 CUP 4.30

50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$25.29 CUP 607

-64.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$3.21 CUP 77.1

-85.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$0.39 CUP 9.27

10.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$15.03 CUP 361

-62.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.07 CUP 25.65

-25.23%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$70.9K CUP 1.7M

-64.84%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$79.0K CUP 1.9M

-59.86%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$34.71 CUP 833

134.69%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$15.23 CUP 366

-57.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$249 CUP 5,970

-92.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$40.13 CUP 963

41.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

$15.14 CUP 363

23.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$1.02 CUP 24.45

345.10%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$168 CUP 4,026

186.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

$4,017 CUP 96.4K

42.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$69.7 CUP 1,672

-34.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$55.6 CUP 1,335

-35.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$98.2 CUP 2,356

-18.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$107 CUP 2,561

-26.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$558 CUP 13.4K

99.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$353 CUP 8,474

97.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$752 CUP 18.1K

383.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$505 CUP 12.1K

243.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$345 CUP 8,282

706.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$368 CUP 8,833

522.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$56.3 CUP 1,351

198.42%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.94

178.95%

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 Lucia: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $558 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 198% 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $30.00 in Santa Lucia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 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 6%, 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 $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,939 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 22% 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 $36.00 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 $1,293, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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.