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: $1,374 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,392 in Santa Tecla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,313 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,030 in Santa Tecla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,252 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,667 in Santa Tecla.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 1% less than in Santa Tecla, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 2% above, Santa Tecla 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$7.20 $7.20

-53.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.33 Rp 635.6K

$43.96 $43.96

-19.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 Rp 95.9K

$7.14 $7.14

-25.35%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.5K

$3.58 $3.58

-23.18%

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

$1.73 Rp 31.1K

$1.11 $1.11

55.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.4K

$0.86 $0.86

-6.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 53.0K

$2.03 $2.03

45.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 Rp 79.9K

$3.43 $3.43

29.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 Rp 27.0K

$1.69 $1.69

-11.24%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 41.3K

$2.16 $2.16

6.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 Rp 19.8K

$1.38 $1.38

-20.29%

Eggs

$2.16 Rp 38.9K

$2.39 $2.39

-9.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.09 Rp 307.4K

$7.75 $7.75

120.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 69.8K

$5.67 $5.67

-31.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.92 Rp 214.4K

$10.34 $10.34

15.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.57 Rp 64.1K

$3.29 $3.29

8.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 Rp 28.5K

$1.48 $1.48

6.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.36 Rp 42.5K

$2.97 $2.97

-20.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.4K

$3.51 $3.51

-43.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.5K

$2.92 $2.92

-38.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 43.0K

$3.36 $3.36

-28.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.3K

$0.94 $0.94

8.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 Rp 8,841

$0.93 $0.93

-47.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 40.4K

$3.97 $3.97

-43.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.30 Rp 401.2K

$11.80 $11.80

88.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 Rp 42.6K

$2.26 $2.26

4.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.1K

$2.82 $2.82

2.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,482

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.55 Rp 153.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,950

$5.97 $5.97

-92.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,598

$2.95 $2.95

-85.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.66 Rp 101.9K

$20.06 $20.06

-71.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.7K

$1.22 $1.22

-33.61%

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

$23.7K Rp 427.1M

$25.3K $25.3K

-6.17%

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

$31.0K Rp 557.4M

$26.7K $26.7K

15.86%

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

$82.3 Rp 1.5M

$132 $132

-37.69%

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

$6.30 Rp 113.3K

$21.39 $21.39

-70.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.63 Rp 335.3K

$42.43 $42.43

-56.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 Rp 984.7K

$25.33 $25.33

116.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.45 Rp 331.9K

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.3K

$5.15 $5.15

-17.67%

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

$484 Rp 8.7M

$164 $164

194.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,590 Rp 100.6M

$4,811 $4,811

16.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.77 Rp 823.5K

$66.3 $66.3

-30.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.69 Rp 642.2K

$46.09 $46.09

-22.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$120 $120

-34.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.1 Rp 1.4M

$115 $115

-30.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,147 Rp 20.6M

$785 $785

45.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$678 Rp 12.2M

$575 $575

17.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,504 Rp 63.0M

$1,221 $1,221

187.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,688 Rp 30.4M

$907 $907

86.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,788 Rp 50.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,257 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$407 $407

-59.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.5

62.12%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 28, 2026

Last update for Santa Tecla: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,147 in Ubud, Bali and $785 in Santa Tecla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Tecla pays 147% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $44.00 in Santa Tecla. Groceries flip the comparison at $286 vs $262, 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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Santa Tecla. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 147% 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: $1,147 in Ubud, Bali versus $785 in Santa Tecla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Santa Tecla pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,374 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,392 in Santa Tecla – a 1% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,374 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,392 in Santa Tecla, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Santa Tecla. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,374 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Santa Tecla. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.