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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,375 in Santa Tecla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,962 in Santa Tecla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,548 in Santa Tecla.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 3% more expensive than Santa Tecla, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Santa Tecla 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$7.81 $7.81

-54.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$35.13 $35.13

-6.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$7.09 $7.09

-30.18%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$3.31 $3.31

-18.13%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$1.09 $1.09

22.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.90 $0.90

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.04 $2.04

43.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.92 $2.92

35.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.76 $1.76

2.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$2.05 $2.05

22.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.55 $1.55

-25.16%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.38 $2.38

3.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$6.94 $6.94

111.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$5.62 $5.62

-23.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$10.80 $10.80

12.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$3.09 $3.09

24.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.66 $1.66

-6.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$2.62 $2.62

8.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$2.62 $2.62

-11.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$2.26 $2.26

-15.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$2.13 $2.13

3.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.00 $1.00

1.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.07 $1.07

-27.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$4.06 $4.06

-18.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$11.21 $11.21

111.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.71 $1.71

63.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.53 $2.53

13.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$5.44 $5.44

-91.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$3.00 $3.00

-85.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$20.18 $20.18

-69.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.98 $0.98

-19.39%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$25.9K $25.9K

0.99%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$28.5K $28.5K

12.66%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$103 $103

-22.16%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$19.19 $19.19

-78.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$42.32 $42.32

-44.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$24.70 $24.70

299.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$5.11 $5.11

-18.79%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$147 $147

106.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$6,045 $6,045

9.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$67.0 $67.0

-17.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$43.92 $43.92

-12.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$114 $114

-22.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$106 $106

-26.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$786 $786

28.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$606 $606

11.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$1,210 $1,210

184.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$913 $913

123.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$413 $413

-59.94%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Tecla: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $786 in Santa Tecla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Tecla pays 150% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $35.00 in Santa Tecla. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $248, 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 3% 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, Santa Tecla earns 150% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $786 in Santa Tecla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,375 in Santa Tecla – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,375 in Santa Tecla versus $1,419 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 $1,375 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 3% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.