Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Santos Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Santos

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,091 in Santos, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,664 in Santos, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,238 in Santos, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 28% more than Santos, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Santos is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$7.83 R$40.10

-56.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$30.45 R$156

26.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$6.66 R$34.11

-17.12%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$2.63 R$13.49

0.38%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$1.37 R$7.03

21.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.94 R$4.84

-18.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.53 R$12.96

3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$2.88 R$14.75

48.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.03 R$5.27

50.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$1.76 R$9.04

26.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$1.31 R$6.73

-13.74%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$2.42 R$12.42

-13.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$11.44 R$58.6

52.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$4.58 R$23.47

-15.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$9.59 R$49.14

30.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$2.07 R$10.60

74.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.26 R$6.46

23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.97 R$10.07

19.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.78 R$9.10

15.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.26 R$6.47

50.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.30 R$6.64

80.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.17 R$5.98

-11.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$0.92 R$4.72

-40.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$2.38 R$12.17

-5.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$7.85 R$40.20

203.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.35 R$6.94

71.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$1.91 R$9.78

46.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$1.03 R$5.29

-73.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$47.31 R$242

-81.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$1.45 R$7.43

-66.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.52 R$7.76

-70.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$17.13 R$87.8

-66.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.19 R$6.08

-36.13%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$23.1K R$118.3K

6.06%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$32.1K R$164.6K

-0.04%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$101 R$517

-17.20%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$11.63 R$59.6

-44.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$21.30 R$109

-10.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$27.94 R$143

100.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$54.0 R$277

-65.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$8.79 R$45.02

-51.31%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$274 R$1,405

77.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$9,873 R$50.6K

-40.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$53.7 R$275

-15.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$36.85 R$189

-1.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$93.7 R$480

-12.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$58.1 R$298

38.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$528 R$2,706

111.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$408 R$2,091

71.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$949 R$4,864

272.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$671 R$3,437

162.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$2,408 R$12.3K

17.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$1,724 R$8,833

32.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$569 R$2,914

-70.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.79

7.74%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Santos: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $528 in Santos. 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 235% higher in Santos, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $30.00 in Santos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $212 – making Santos 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 Santos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 28% more than Santos, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,637 in Santos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Santos, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 446% less in Santos. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $487 per month in Ubud, Bali and $274 in Santos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santos, where all-in costs run around $1,091, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. In Santos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Santos costs $1,091 versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Santos. 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.