Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Southern Cross

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,331 a month against $2,532 in Southern Cross, rent and utilities included – about $14,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

64

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Southern Cross
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Southern Cross Living Index

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Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,331

/mo nomad

Southern Cross

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,532

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Southern Cross

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,532 in Southern Cross.

Ubud, Bali $1,331
Southern Cross $2,532

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,583 in Southern Cross.

Ubud, Bali $2,255
Southern Cross $3,583

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,180 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,635 in Southern Cross.

Ubud, Bali $3,180
Southern Cross $4,635

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 47% less than in Southern Cross, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% below, Southern Cross is 87% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.38 Rp 61.3K

$19.39 A$27.64

-82.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.65 Rp 629.1K

$61.2 A$87.2

-43.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.57 Rp 101.2K

$10.68 A$15.22

-47.85%

Cappuccino

$2.62 Rp 47.6K

$3.47 A$4.95

-24.50%

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

$1.54 Rp 27.9K

$2.40 A$3.42

-35.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 Rp 11.6K

$1.77 A$2.53

-63.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 Rp 48.4K

$6.93 A$9.88

-61.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 Rp 77.4K

$8.36 A$11.91

-49.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 Rp 26.5K

$1.58 A$2.26

-7.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.29 Rp 41.6K

$2.72 A$3.88

-15.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 20.1K

$2.22 A$3.17

-50.00%

Eggs

$2.10 Rp 38.1K

$2.76 A$3.94

-23.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.94 Rp 289.4K

$9.26 A$13.20

72.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.88 Rp 70.5K

$9.44 A$13.46

-58.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 Rp 207.0K

$14.66 A$20.90

-22.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 Rp 64.5K

$3.87 A$5.52

-8.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.9K

$3.00 A$4.27

-48.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.5K

$3.16 A$4.51

-29.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.8K

$4.63 A$6.61

-57.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 33.7K

$2.62 A$3.74

-29.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 43.9K

$2.44 A$3.48

-0.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.6K

$2.34 A$3.33

-56.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,483

$1.55 A$2.21

-66.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 Rp 39.9K

$35.49 A$50.6

-93.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$21.79 Rp 395.6K

$14.19 A$20.22

53.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.33 Rp 42.2K

$4.75 A$6.77

-50.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 Rp 53.9K

$5.35 A$7.63

-44.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,546

$2.71 A$3.86

-90.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 148.4K

$85.7 A$122

-90.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,947

$3.56 A$5.07

-87.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,496

$1.57 A$2.24

-70.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 101.7K

$39.44 A$56.2

-85.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

$1.27 A$1.81

-34.65%

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

$24.4K Rp 443.8M

$28.9K A$41.2K

-15.47%

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

$31.7K Rp 575.5M

$26.8K A$38.2K

18.22%

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

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

$208 A$296

-62.71%

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

$6.14 Rp 111.6K

$27.83 A$39.67

-77.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.92 Rp 343.4K

$57.5 A$81.9

-67.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 Rp 925.8K

$56.8 A$81.0

-10.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 Rp 331.3K

$18.03 A$25.70

1.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 Rp 79.6K

$14.09 A$20.08

-68.91%

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

$492 Rp 8.9M

$2,165 A$3,087

-77.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.2K Rp 221.9M

$20.6K A$29.4K

-40.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.16 Rp 819.9K

$76.2 A$109

-40.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.89 Rp 633.4K

$55.4 A$79.0

-37.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

$109 A$155

-28.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$122 A$174

-36.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,078 Rp 19.6M

$1,377 A$1,964

-21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 12.1M

$1,227 A$1,749

-45.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,510 Rp 63.7M

$2,255 A$3,215

55.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 Rp 30.3M

$1,829 A$2,608

-8.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,340 Rp 42.5M

$5,968 A$8,508

-60.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,236 Rp 40.6M

$4,897 A$6,981

-54.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 Rp 3.0M

$7,095 A$10.1K

-97.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.25

120.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: November 1, 2026

Last update for Southern Cross: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$665 50%

Southern Cross

$1.2K 48.5% 84.5% $562

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$279 21%

Southern Cross

$359 14.2% 28.3% $79

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$106 8%

Southern Cross

$163 6.4% 53.5% $57

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$106 8%

Southern Cross

$297 11.7% 181% $191

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$103 7.7%

Southern Cross

$293 11.6% 186% $191

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$60 4.5%

Southern Cross

$85 3.4% 42.2% $25

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$12 0.9%

Southern Cross

$108 4.3% 804% $96

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,078 in Ubud, Bali and $1,377 in Southern Cross. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Southern Cross pays about 43 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $35 in Ubud, Bali vs $61 in Southern Cross for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $279 vs $359 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇦🇺 Southern Cross

🕒 Local time

07:29 7:29 AM

Same time as Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

700

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.89 EUR

1 AUD = 0.701 USD

1 AUD = 0.623 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18,155 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,438 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.89 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 1.43 AUD (1 AUD = 0.701 USD). 1 EUR = 1.6 AUD (1 AUD = 0.623 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ubud, Bali Southern Cross 2,560 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Ubud, Bali
Southern Cross

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 Southern Cross: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,331 in Ubud, Bali and $2,532 in Southern Cross, so Ubud, Bali is about 47% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 98% lower in Ubud, Bali. 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: $1,078 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,377 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 $35 versus $61 in Southern Cross. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,331 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,532 in Southern Cross – Ubud, Bali is about 47% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Ubud, Bali is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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 both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Southern Cross. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.