Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and St. Gallen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and St. Gallen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,569 in St. Gallen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $5,433 in St. Gallen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $7,296 in St. Gallen.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 60% less than in St. Gallen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, St. Gallen 166% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.56 Rp 63.9K
$30.20 CHF 23.89
-88.21%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.73 Rp 586.8K
$149 CHF 118
-78.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.95 Rp 88.7K
$18.33 CHF 14.50
-73.00%
Cappuccino
$2.71 Rp 48.6K
$6.23 CHF 4.93
-56.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 24.1K
$5.87 CHF 4.64
-77.17%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 Rp 12.5K
$5.38 CHF 4.26
-86.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 Rp 52.3K
$7.36 CHF 5.82
-60.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 Rp 70.9K
$7.15 CHF 5.66
-44.62%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 Rp 32.4K
$2.23 CHF 1.76
-18.83%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 Rp 45.1K
$2.68 CHF 2.12
-5.97%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 Rp 20.8K
$3.58 CHF 2.83
-67.60%
Eggs
$2.46 Rp 44.1K
$8.15 CHF 6.44
-69.82%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.71 Rp 263.7K
$27.21 CHF 21.53
-45.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.32 Rp 77.4K
$32.59 CHF 25.78
-86.74%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.14 Rp 217.5K
$40.95 CHF 32.40
-70.35%
Apples (1kg)
$3.84 Rp 68.8K
$3.13 CHF 2.48
22.68%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 Rp 27.9K
$1.85 CHF 1.47
-15.68%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 Rp 50.8K
$2.58 CHF 2.04
9.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.7K
$7.26 CHF 5.74
-67.91%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$2.56 CHF 2.03
-25.39%
Onion (1kg)
$2.20 Rp 39.5K
$2.34 CHF 1.85
-5.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 Rp 18.2K
$2.34 CHF 1.85
-56.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 Rp 13.9K
$1.11 CHF 0.87
-29.73%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.32 Rp 59.4K
$11.04 CHF 8.74
-69.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.74 Rp 425.5K
$11.81 CHF 9.34
101.02%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 Rp 50.0K
$2.16 CHF 1.71
29.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 Rp 51.3K
$2.31 CHF 1.83
23.81%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,819
$4.32 CHF 3.42
-93.75%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.03 Rp 143.9K
$80.6 CHF 63.8
-90.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.46 Rp 8,181
$6.86 CHF 5.42
-93.29%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,068
$4.20 CHF 3.32
-89.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 Rp 109.3K
$79.0 CHF 62.5
-92.28%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$2.10 CHF 1.66
-62.38%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rp 468.8M
$39.9K CHF 31.6K
-34.51%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K Rp 575.8M
$41.5K CHF 32.8K
-22.52%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$332 CHF 263
-75.91%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.06 Rp 72.9K
$59.3 CHF 46.89
-93.15%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52 Rp 421.6K
$52.8 CHF 41.77
-55.45%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.7 Rp 1.8M
$81.2 CHF 64.3
21.49%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.63 Rp 118.8K
$99.3 CHF 78.6
-93.33%
Cinema Ticket
$4.15 Rp 74.3K
$30.30 CHF 23.97
-86.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 Rp 5.4M
$2,792 CHF 2,209
-89.11%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,613 Rp 118.5M
$34.9K CHF 27.6K
-81.07%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.5 Rp 995.6K
$148 CHF 117
-62.49%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.31 Rp 686.7K
$64.8 CHF 51.2
-40.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 Rp 1.6M
$156 CHF 124
-43.37%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$238 CHF 188
-67.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 Rp 18.0M
$1,814 CHF 1,435
-44.53%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$675 Rp 12.1M
$1,526 CHF 1,207
-55.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,442 Rp 61.7M
$2,733 CHF 2,162
25.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,039 Rp 36.6M
$2,369 CHF 1,874
-13.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,841 Rp 50.9M
$10.8K CHF 8,540
-73.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,264 Rp 40.6M
$8,655 CHF 6,847
-73.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
$7,138 CHF 5,647
-97.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
2.5
431.20%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for St. Gallen: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $1,814 in St. Gallen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Gallen pays 4220% 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 $149 in St. Gallen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $611 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 St. Gallen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is St. Gallen cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 151% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Ubud, Bali or St. Gallen?
On paper, St. Gallen earns 4220% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
What is the rent difference between Ubud, Bali and St. Gallen?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,814 in St. Gallen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper public transport?
A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 904% less than in St. Gallen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,792 in St. Gallen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for Ubud, Bali or St. Gallen?
At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,569 in St. Gallen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in St. Gallen. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Ubud, Bali or St. Gallen more family-friendly?
For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in St. Gallen, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Ubud, Bali or St. Gallen?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and St. Gallen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 151% less than in St. Gallen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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