Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Santos

For one person, living is cheaper in Santos: $1,150 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ubud, Bali outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Santos
🇧🇷 Brazil
$1,150
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Santos

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 Santos actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,353 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,150 in Santos, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,353
  • Santos $1,150

A couple spends around $2,297 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,736 in Santos, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,297
  • Santos $1,736

A family of three spends $3,241 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,322 in Santos, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,241
  • Santos $2,322

Ubud, Bali costs about 18% more than Santos, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Santos is 15% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Santos
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
$8.12 R$41.18
-60.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
$31.84 R$161
9.55%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
$7.14 R$36.19
-20.17%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
$2.75 R$13.96
-4.73%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
$1.43 R$7.24
20.28%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.92 R$4.68
-11.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
$2.52 R$12.76
5.16%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
$2.92 R$14.79
49.66%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Santos
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.09 R$5.50
44.04%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
$1.85 R$9.39
18.38%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$1.36 R$6.91
-13.24%
Eggs
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
$2.49 R$12.61
-13.25%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
$12.14 R$61.6
45.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
$4.86 R$24.63
-22.22%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
$9.91 R$50.2
20.59%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
$2.11 R$10.69
70.62%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
$1.23 R$6.23
29.27%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
$1.99 R$10.07
16.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$1.85 R$9.37
3.24%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$1.35 R$6.86
31.85%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
$1.29 R$6.56
80.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
$1.16 R$5.87
-13.79%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,509
$0.95 R$4.80
-44.21%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
$2.35 R$11.89
-2.55%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
$7.98 R$40.46
176.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
$1.33 R$6.76
76.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
$1.94 R$9.83
53.61%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Santos
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 Rp 4,112
$1.12 R$5.66
-79.46%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
$49.37 R$250
-81.97%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,466
$1.56 R$7.89
-69.87%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,737
$1.61 R$8.16
-73.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
$17.80 R$90.2
-69.27%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$1.24 R$6.31
-33.06%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
$23.7K R$120.3K
0.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
$33.5K R$169.6K
-2.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Santos
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
$104 R$529
-23.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
$11.95 R$60.6
-45.10%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
$21.90 R$111
-15.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Santos
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
$28.96 R$147
86.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
$57.0 R$289
-67.94%
Cinema Ticket
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
$8.59 R$43.55
-50.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Santos
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$280 R$1,418
76.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
$10.2K R$52.0K
-45.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Santos
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
$55.5 R$281
-17.80%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
$36.69 R$186
-4.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
$95.7 R$485
-18.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
$60.7 R$307
29.46%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Santos
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
$543 R$2,754
108.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$424 R$2,148
58.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
$992 R$5,031
264.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
$686 R$3,478
148.04%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
$2,413 R$12.2K
12.59%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$1,776 R$9,004
26.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Santos
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$584 R$2,958
-71.49%
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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Santos: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$673
Santos
$424 37% $249
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$287
Santos
$219 23.6% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$107
Santos
$112 5% $5.3
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Santos
$147 38.4% $41
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$105
Santos
$138 31.4% $33
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$63
Santos
$46 26.3% $16
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Santos
$63 411% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,131 in Ubud, Bali versus $543 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 251% 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 $35.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $32.00 in Santos. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $287 vs $219 – making Santos the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇧🇷 Santos
🕒 Local time
20:32 8:32 PM
09:32 9:32 AM
11 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
418,608
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Santos 15,890 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Santos

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 Santos: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Santos?
Ubud, Bali costs about 18% more than Santos, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ubud, Bali and in Santos?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,030 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,725 in Santos. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Ubud, Bali or Santos?
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.
How expensive is transport in Ubud, Bali compared to Santos?
Public transport costs about 455% less in Santos. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Santos?
Kindergarten costs $493 per month in Ubud, Bali and $280 in Santos. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Santos?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Santos, where all-in costs run around $1,150, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,353. In Santos it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Santos?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Santos costs $1,150 versus $1,353 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Santos?
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.
Should I move to Ubud, Bali or to Santos?
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.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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