Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Southern Cross Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Southern Cross

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,203 in Southern Cross.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,236 in Southern Cross.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,270 in Southern Cross.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 35% less than in Southern Cross, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 7% above, Southern Cross 64% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

$17.87 A$24.84

-80.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

$56.8 A$78.9

-42.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

$9.81 A$13.64

-48.32%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

$3.22 A$4.47

-12.11%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

$2.23 A$3.09

-39.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$1.65 A$2.29

-58.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

$6.34 A$8.81

-52.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

$7.69 A$10.69

-49.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

$1.49 A$2.06

16.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

$2.33 A$3.24

9.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.97 A$2.73

-39.59%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

$2.56 A$3.56

-5.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

$8.59 A$11.94

70.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

$8.18 A$11.38

-48.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

$13.65 A$18.98

-12.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

$3.31 A$4.60

11.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$2.85 A$3.96

-43.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

$3.00 A$4.17

-10.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

$4.19 A$5.82

-44.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

$2.53 A$3.51

-24.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

$2.10 A$2.91

4.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$2.11 A$2.94

-49.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$1.52 A$2.11

-52.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

$32.87 A$45.70

-90.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

$14.40 A$20.01

63.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

$4.63 A$6.43

-40.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

$5.39 A$7.49

-46.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,010

$2.55 A$3.54

-88.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

$64.1 A$89.1

-87.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,834

$3.48 A$4.83

-87.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,278

$1.60 A$2.22

-73.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

$33.25 A$46.22

-81.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

$1.17 A$1.62

-28.21%

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

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

$28.4K A$39.5K

-7.74%

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

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

$22.2K A$30.8K

46.54%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$186 A$258

-57.75%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

$27.76 A$38.59

-85.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

$52.1 A$72.4

-53.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$48.66 A$67.6

98.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

$15.50 A$21.54

-59.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

$12.97 A$18.03

-68.85%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$1,643 A$2,284

-81.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

$12.1K A$16.9K

-46.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

$69.3 A$96.4

-22.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

$50.8 A$70.6

-25.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$101 A$140

-13.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$109 A$152

-27.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$1,246 A$1,732

-18.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.6M

$1,079 A$1,500

-37.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

$2,043 A$2,839

65.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

$1,669 A$2,320

25.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

$6,752 A$9,385

-55.80%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

$4,770 A$6,630

-50.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$7,062 A$9,817

-97.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.25

112.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Southern Cross: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $1,246 in Southern Cross. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Southern Cross pays 3979% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $57.0 in Southern Cross for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $332 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 Southern Cross: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Southern Cross differ by about 53% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $2,203 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Southern Cross earns 3979% 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,246 in Southern Cross. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $57.0 in Southern Cross. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,203 in Southern Cross – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,203 in Southern Cross, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Southern Cross. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Southern Cross 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Southern Cross. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.