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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,276 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,795 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,315 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 10% more than Santa Lucia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% 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 64.0K

$9.82 CUP 236

-63.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$30.44 CUP 730

6.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$6.79 CUP 163

-28.42%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$3.33 CUP 79.9

-17.42%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.12 CUP 26.83

17.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.87 CUP 20.99

-19.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.94 CUP 46.65

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.02 CUP 72.6

25.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.91 CUP 45.95

-10.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.87 CUP 44.99

32.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.51 CUP 36.34

-20.53%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$3.77 CUP 90.4

-35.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$6.26 CUP 150

129.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$5.73 CUP 137

-24.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$11.09 CUP 266

10.10%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.75 CUP 66.1

33.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.59 CUP 38.11

-2.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.07 CUP 49.60

34.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$2.27 CUP 54.5

2.64%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.99 CUP 47.64

-1.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.76 CUP 42.25

31.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.98 CUP 23.48

8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.01 CUP 24.26

-27.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$4.06 CUP 97.4

-19.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$11.98 CUP 288

90.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.69 CUP 40.57

66.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.37 CUP 56.9

17.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.21 CUP 5.15

38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$24.97 CUP 599

-67.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$3.29 CUP 79.0

-86.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.42 CUP 10.06

7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$15.28 CUP 367

-59.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.08 CUP 25.91

-21.30%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$69.6K CUP 1.7M

-62.65%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$81.4K CUP 2.0M

-61.09%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$34.90 CUP 838

131.38%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$14.90 CUP 358

-72.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$250 CUP 6,009

-90.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$39.68 CUP 952

146.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$14.83 CUP 356

-56.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$1.03 CUP 24.67

292.23%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$163 CUP 3,909

86.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$3,920 CUP 94.1K

68.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$69.9 CUP 1,677

-22.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$54.0 CUP 1,296

-28.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$99.1 CUP 2,378

-13.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$103 CUP 2,470

-25.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$552 CUP 13.2K

78.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$349 CUP 8,370

88.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$760 CUP 18.2K

343.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$499 CUP 12.0K

314.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$339 CUP 8,139

708.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$381 CUP 9,132

485.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$56.0 CUP 1,345

191.61%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucia: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $552 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 192% 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: $297 vs $245 – 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 10%, 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 $2,106 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 21% 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 $1,404. 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.