Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sao Tome Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Sao Tome

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,087 in Sao Tome.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,830 in Sao Tome.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,573 in Sao Tome.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 31% more expensive than Sao Tome, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Sao Tome is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$20.64 STN 433

-82.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$46.23 STN 971

-29.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$9.91 STN 208

-50.05%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.73 STN 36.29

56.65%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$1.86 STN 39.04

-27.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.18 STN 24.73

-40.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$1.62 STN 33.98

80.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$1.92 STN 40.35

106.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.38 STN 28.98

31.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.00 STN 20.97

152.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$2.32 STN 48.76

-50.00%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$4.96 STN 104

-50.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$20.53 STN 431

-28.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$19.97 STN 419

-78.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$24.64 STN 517

-50.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$4.73 STN 99.3

-18.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.13 STN 23.63

38.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$4.00 STN 83.9

-29.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$3.57 STN 75.0

-34.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$2.64 STN 55.5

-27.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$2.08 STN 43.63

5.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.71 STN 14.89

42.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.88 STN 39.52

-58.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$2.33 STN 48.83

42.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$8.09 STN 170

193.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.34 STN 28.04

108.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$1.34 STN 28.06

113.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$1.22 STN 25.60

-77.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$13.88 STN 291

-56.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.63 STN 34.32

-51.53%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$23.1K STN 484.8K

39.12%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$34.07 STN 716

-88.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$71.5 STN 1,501

-67.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$37.22 STN 782

165.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$29.30 STN 615

-77.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$20.93 STN 440

-80.17%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$18.64 STN 392

317.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$342 STN 7,191

193.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$228 STN 4,796

195.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$666 STN 14.0K

416.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$527 STN 11.1K

287.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$1,875 STN 39.4K

51.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$1,168 STN 24.5K

93.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$272 STN 5,709

-39.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

7.38

79.95%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Sao Tome: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $342 in Sao Tome. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sao Tome pays 65% 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 $46.00 in Sao Tome for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $415 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

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 Sao Tome: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sao Tome wins on cost – living expenses run 31% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sao Tome the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Sao Tome earns 65% 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 $342 in Sao Tome. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,087 in Sao Tome – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 38% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,087 in Sao Tome versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sao Tome but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Sao Tome the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sao Tome delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,087 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sao Tome hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Sao Tome 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 Sao Tome gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.