Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and St Francis Bay

For one person, living is cheaper in St Francis Bay: $979 a month against $1,331 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $4,200 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Ubud, Bali outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
St Francis Bay, South Africa
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,331
/mo nomad
St Francis Bay
🇿🇦 South Africa
$979
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in St Francis Bay

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 St Francis Bay actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,331 in Ubud, Bali versus $979 in St Francis Bay.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,331
  • St Francis Bay $979

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,255 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,629 in St Francis Bay.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,255
  • St Francis Bay $1,629

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,180 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,279 in St Francis Bay.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,180
  • St Francis Bay $2,279

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 36% more expensive than in St Francis Bay, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Ubud, Bali 2% lower, St Francis Bay 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
St Francis Bay
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.38 Rp 61.3K
$10.81 R 178
-68.73%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.65 Rp 629.1K
$41.74 R 687
-16.99%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.57 Rp 101.2K
$3.53 R 58.1
57.79%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.6K
$2.14 R 35.16
22.43%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$1.01 R 16.66
52.48%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 Rp 11.6K
$0.72 R 11.93
-11.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.67 Rp 48.4K
$2.06 R 33.81
29.61%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.26 Rp 77.4K
$1.84 R 30.32
131.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
St Francis Bay
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 Rp 26.5K
$0.94 R 15.47
55.32%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 Rp 41.6K
$1.00 R 16.37
129.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.11 Rp 20.1K
$1.50 R 24.70
-26.00%
Eggs
$2.10 Rp 38.1K
$2.70 R 44.44
-22.22%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.94 Rp 289.4K
$7.11 R 117
124.19%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.88 Rp 70.5K
$5.22 R 85.9
-25.67%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.40 Rp 207.0K
$8.63 R 142
32.10%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 64.5K
$2.18 R 35.80
62.84%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$1.46 R 23.99
5.48%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
$1.70 R 28.03
31.18%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
$1.81 R 29.70
8.84%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 Rp 33.7K
$1.74 R 28.56
6.90%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 43.9K
$1.37 R 22.62
76.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 Rp 18.6K
$1.24 R 20.35
-17.74%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 Rp 9,483
$1.03 R 16.88
-49.51%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.20 Rp 39.9K
$3.14 R 51.6
-29.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.79 Rp 395.6K
$4.74 R 77.9
359.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 Rp 42.2K
$1.27 R 20.90
83.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
$1.81 R 29.80
64.09%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
St Francis Bay
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,546
$1.78 R 29.24
-85.96%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.17 Rp 148.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,947
$0.82 R 13.47
-46.34%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 Rp 8,496
$0.46 R 7.53
2.17%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.60 Rp 101.7K
$8.62 R 142
-35.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$1.31 R 21.50
-36.64%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K Rp 443.8M
$21.0K R 345.5K
16.40%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 575.5M
$35.2K R 578.5K
-9.86%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
St Francis Bay
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.5 Rp 1.4M
$60.8 R 999
27.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.14 Rp 111.6K
$34.39 R 566
-82.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.92 Rp 343.4K
$41.35 R 680
-54.24%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
St Francis Bay
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 Rp 925.8K
$28.64 R 471
78.04%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.25 Rp 331.3K
$12.00 R 197
52.08%
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 79.6K
$9.20 R 151
-52.39%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
St Francis Bay
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$492 Rp 8.9M
$179 R 2,941
175.40%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.2K Rp 221.9M
$6,135 R 100.9K
99.22%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
St Francis Bay
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.16 Rp 819.9K
$71.9 R 1,182
-37.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.89 Rp 633.4K
$39.31 R 647
-11.24%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.3 Rp 1.4M
$112 R 1,846
-30.22%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$95.1 R 1,564
-18.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
St Francis Bay
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 Rp 19.6M
$420 R 6,910
156.54%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 Rp 12.1M
$308 R 5,069
115.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,510 Rp 63.7M
$834 R 13.7K
321.05%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,671 Rp 30.3M
$711 R 11.7K
135.15%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,340 Rp 42.5M
$784 R 12.9K
198.41%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,236 Rp 40.6M
$648 R 10.7K
245.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
St Francis Bay
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
11.94
15.41%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: November 1, 2026

Last update for St Francis Bay: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$665
St Francis Bay
$308 53.7% $357
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$279
St Francis Bay
$190 32.1% $90
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$106
St Francis Bay
$143 34.8% $37
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
St Francis Bay
$144 35.8% $38
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$103
St Francis Bay
$136 33.1% $34
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$60
St Francis Bay
$47 21.3% $13
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
St Francis Bay
$10 * 14.5% $1.7

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,078 in Ubud, Bali and $420 in St Francis Bay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $35 in Ubud, Bali vs $42 in St Francis Bay. Groceries flip the comparison at $279 vs $190, with St Francis Bay cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇿🇦 St Francis Bay
🕒 Local time
20:53 8:53 PM
14:53 2:53 PM
6 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
5,910
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

ZAR, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 18,155 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,353 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.91 EUR).

South African Rand exchange rates as of November 4, 2026: 1 USD = 16.45 ZAR (100 ZAR = 6.08 USD). 1 EUR = 18.44 ZAR (100 ZAR = 5.42 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali St Francis Bay 9,520 km ≈ 12 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • St Francis Bay

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 St Francis Bay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in St Francis Bay?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,331 in Ubud, Bali and $979 in St Francis Bay, so St Francis Bay is about 26% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Ubud, Bali compared to St Francis Bay?
You’d need roughly $1,996 in Ubud, Bali and $1,468 in St Francis Bay to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in St Francis Bay?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,078 in Ubud, Bali versus $420 in St Francis Bay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ubud, Bali and St Francis Bay?
Childcare runs $492 in Ubud, Bali versus $179 in St Francis Bay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $35 versus $42 in St Francis Bay. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $1,200 per month?
At $979 in St Francis Bay versus $1,331 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,200 budget is realistic in St Francis Bay but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes St Francis Bay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and St Francis Bay?
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.
Is Ubud, Bali or St Francis Bay safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and St Francis Bay are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

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