Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Santa Teresa

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,331 a month against $1,530 in Santa Teresa, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. The total is higher in Santa Teresa despite lower rent and utilities.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Santa Teresa, Costa Rica
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,331
/mo nomad
Santa Teresa
🇨🇷 Costa Rica
$1,530
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Santa Teresa

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Santa Teresa actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,331 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,530 in Santa Teresa, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,331
  • Santa Teresa $1,530

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,295 in Santa Teresa, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,255
  • Santa Teresa $2,295

A family of three spends $3,180 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,061 in Santa Teresa, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,180
  • Santa Teresa $3,061

Ubud, Bali is about 13% cheaper than Santa Teresa, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% below the global median, while Santa Teresa is 13% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Santa Teresa
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.38 Rp 61.2K
$9.90 ₡4,459
-65.86%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.65 Rp 628.6K
$42.31 ₡19.1K
-18.10%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.57 Rp 101.1K
$9.71 ₡4,374
-42.64%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.5K
$3.70 ₡1,667
-29.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$2.04 ₡917
-24.51%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 Rp 11.6K
$1.63 ₡735
-60.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.67 Rp 48.4K
$3.03 ₡1,366
-11.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.26 Rp 77.3K
$4.55 ₡2,048
-6.37%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Santa Teresa
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 Rp 26.5K
$2.05 ₡925
-28.78%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 Rp 41.6K
$2.82 ₡1,270
-18.79%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.11 Rp 20.1K
$2.16 ₡972
-48.61%
Eggs
$2.10 Rp 38.1K
$2.98 ₡1,344
-29.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.94 Rp 289.2K
$10.01 ₡4,509
59.24%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.88 Rp 70.4K
$8.97 ₡4,042
-56.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.40 Rp 206.8K
$13.60 ₡6,127
-16.18%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 64.4K
$4.56 ₡2,052
-22.15%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$1.44 ₡651
6.94%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
$4.12 ₡1,856
-45.87%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
$3.07 ₡1,385
-35.83%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 Rp 33.7K
$3.39 ₡1,526
-45.13%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 43.9K
$2.58 ₡1,161
-6.20%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 Rp 18.6K
$1.01 ₡455
0.99%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 Rp 9,475
$2.85 ₡1,282
-81.75%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.20 Rp 39.9K
$5.09 ₡2,292
-56.78%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.79 Rp 395.2K
$13.79 ₡6,211
58.01%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 Rp 42.2K
$2.36 ₡1,063
-1.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
$2.62 ₡1,179
13.36%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Santa Teresa
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,542
$0.96 ₡433
-73.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.17 Rp 148.3K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,941
$1.84 ₡830
-76.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 Rp 8,489
$1.83 ₡826
-74.32%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.60 Rp 101.6K
$7.95 ₡3,580
-29.56%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$1.46 ₡659
-43.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K Rp 443.5M
$38.4K ₡17.3M
-36.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 575.0M
$32.7K ₡14.7M
-3.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Santa Teresa
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.5 Rp 1.4M
$84.9 ₡38.2K
-8.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.14 Rp 111.5K
$26.16 ₡11.8K
-76.53%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.92 Rp 343.1K
$50.4 ₡22.7K
-62.46%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Santa Teresa
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 Rp 925.0K
$50.1 ₡22.6K
1.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.25 Rp 331.0K
$23.66 ₡10.7K
-22.87%
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 79.5K
$8.89 ₡4,004
-50.73%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Santa Teresa
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$492 Rp 8.9M
$573 ₡257.9K
-13.99%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.2K Rp 221.7M
$12.4K ₡5.6M
-1.62%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Santa Teresa
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.16 Rp 819.2K
$61.8 ₡27.8K
-26.89%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.89 Rp 632.9K
$51.2 ₡23.0K
-31.82%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.3 Rp 1.4M
$127 ₡57.4K
-38.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$107 ₡48.0K
-27.00%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Santa Teresa
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 Rp 19.5M
$706 ₡318.2K
52.52%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 Rp 12.1M
$592 ₡266.6K
12.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,510 Rp 63.7M
$1,461 ₡657.9K
140.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,671 Rp 30.3M
$955 ₡430.0K
75.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,340 Rp 42.4M
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,236 Rp 40.6M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Santa Teresa
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
10.17
35.50%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: November 1, 2026

Last update for Santa Teresa: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$665
Santa Teresa
$592 11% $73
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$279
Santa Teresa
$346 23.9% $67
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$106
Santa Teresa
$156 46.9% $50
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Santa Teresa
$192 81.3% $86
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$103
Santa Teresa
$161 57.5% $59
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$60
Santa Teresa
$68 13.5% $8.1
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Santa Teresa
$15 * 24.4% $2.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,078 in Ubud, Bali versus $706 in Santa Teresa. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Ubud, Bali versus $42 in Santa Teresa. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $346 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇨🇷 Santa Teresa
🕒 Local time
17:20 5:20 PM
03:20 3:20 AM
14 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
3,099
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CRC, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 18,140 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,384 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR).

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of November 5, 2026: 1 USD = 450 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.22 USD). 1 EUR = 506 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Santa Teresa 17,770 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Santa Teresa

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Teresa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Santa Teresa?
Yes – Santa Teresa is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,996 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,295 in Santa Teresa. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Santa Teresa, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $706 there versus $1,078 in Ubud, Bali.
Is eating out cheaper in Ubud, Bali or in Santa Teresa?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $35 in Ubud, Bali and $42 in Santa Teresa. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Santa Teresa?
Groceries cost about 24% more in Santa Teresa, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 enough to cover costs in Ubud, Bali or in Santa Teresa?
$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,331 in Ubud, Bali and $1,530 in Santa Teresa. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city suits remote workers better?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,331 versus $1,530 in Santa Teresa. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or Santa Teresa?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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