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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,360 in Santa Tecla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,954 in Santa Tecla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,548 in Santa Tecla.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 4% more expensive than in Santa Tecla, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Santa Tecla 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$7.79 $7.79

-55.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$35.49 $35.49

-8.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$6.86 $6.86

-29.45%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$3.32 $3.32

-17.17%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.10 $1.10

25.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.87 $0.87

-13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.95 $1.95

53.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.03 $3.03

27.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.74 $1.74

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.99 $1.99

23.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.48 $1.48

-20.95%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.39 $2.39

1.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$7.22 $7.22

100.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$5.44 $5.44

-20.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$10.73 $10.73

11.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$3.23 $3.23

15.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.73 $1.73

-5.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$2.50 $2.50

9.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$2.75 $2.75

-18.55%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$2.15 $2.15

-10.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$2.13 $2.13

7.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.01 $1.01

4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.07 $1.07

-32.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.94 $3.94

-16.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$11.81 $11.81

96.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.70 $1.70

63.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.42 $2.42

12.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$5.66 $5.66

-91.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$3.11 $3.11

-86.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$20.26 $20.26

-69.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.97 $0.97

-16.49%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$25.1K $25.1K

5.89%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$28.7K $28.7K

12.30%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$103 $103

-23.90%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$19.23 $19.23

-78.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$41.11 $41.11

-40.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$25.38 $25.38

288.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$5.16 $5.16

-22.67%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$147 $147

107.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$5,937 $5,937

11.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$67.4 $67.4

-19.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$43.73 $43.73

-13.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$116 $116

-25.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$104 $104

-26.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$801 $801

23.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$591 $591

13.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,181 $1,181

185.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$899 $899

128.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$407 $407

-58.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

8.58

54.78%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Santa Tecla: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $801 in Santa Tecla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Tecla pays 144% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $35.00 in Santa Tecla. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $249, with Santa Tecla 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 Tecla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Tecla wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santa Tecla the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 144% lower in Santa Tecla. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $801 in Santa Tecla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,360 in Santa Tecla – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,360 in Santa Tecla versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Santa Tecla but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Santa Tecla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Santa Tecla delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,360 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Santa Tecla hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Santa Tecla 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 Tecla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.