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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,291 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,809 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,326 in Santa Lucia, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 8% more than Santa Lucia, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Santa Lucia is 3% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$9.81 CUP 236

-63.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$30.14 CUP 723

7.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$7.21 CUP 173

-30.51%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$3.35 CUP 80.5

-15.82%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.07 CUP 25.66

26.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.87 CUP 20.88

-16.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.98 CUP 47.55

47.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.93 CUP 70.3

34.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$2.00 CUP 47.96

-11.00%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.81 CUP 43.39

35.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.54 CUP 36.84

-25.32%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$3.72 CUP 89.2

-35.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$6.38 CUP 153

124.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$5.72 CUP 137

-26.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$11.04 CUP 265

9.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.77 CUP 66.4

31.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.51 CUP 36.24

3.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.03 CUP 48.67

37.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$2.27 CUP 54.6

-1.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$2.02 CUP 48.55

-1.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.72 CUP 41.30

32.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.02 CUP 24.49

2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.98 CUP 23.57

-19.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$3.91 CUP 93.9

-18.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$12.20 CUP 293

92.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.67 CUP 40.04

73.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.40 CUP 57.6

15.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.21 CUP 4.97

28.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$25.16 CUP 604

-66.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$3.19 CUP 76.6

-85.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.38 CUP 9.16

21.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$14.78 CUP 355

-58.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.03 CUP 24.68

-16.50%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$70.3K CUP 1.7M

-62.21%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$80.2K CUP 1.9M

-59.42%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$35.02 CUP 840

125.64%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$14.95 CUP 359

-72.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$252 CUP 6,042

-90.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$40.32 CUP 968

144.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$15.30 CUP 367

-58.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$1.03 CUP 24.71

289.32%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$163 CUP 3,909

82.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$4,070 CUP 97.7K

62.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$70.9 CUP 1,703

-24.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$54.4 CUP 1,305

-29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$102 CUP 2,447

-13.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$106 CUP 2,554

-27.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$546 CUP 13.1K

86.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$357 CUP 8,556

90.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$757 CUP 18.2K

358.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$494 CUP 11.9K

322.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$335 CUP 8,031

715.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$368 CUP 8,821

524.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$56.1 CUP 1,347

191.66%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Santa Lucia: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $546 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $30.00 in Santa Lucia. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 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 8%, 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 $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,937 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 $32.00 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 $1,291, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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.