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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,529 in St. Gallen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $5,441 in St. Gallen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $7,353 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 5% above, St. Gallen 164% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.45 Rp 62.1K
$30.33 CHF 24.57
-88.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.34 Rp 581.1K
$147 CHF 119
-78.04%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.84 Rp 87.1K
$18.50 CHF 14.99
-73.84%
Cappuccino
$2.75 Rp 49.4K
$6.36 CHF 5.15
-56.76%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.38 Rp 24.9K
$5.84 CHF 4.73
-76.37%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.75 Rp 13.5K
$5.33 CHF 4.32
-85.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.99 Rp 53.8K
$7.66 CHF 6.20
-60.97%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.85 Rp 69.2K
$7.28 CHF 5.89
-47.12%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.74 Rp 31.2K
$2.20 CHF 1.78
-20.91%
White Bread (500g)
$2.46 Rp 44.2K
$2.66 CHF 2.15
-7.52%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.17 Rp 21.0K
$3.53 CHF 2.86
-66.86%
Eggs
$2.43 Rp 43.7K
$8.31 CHF 6.73
-70.76%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.50 Rp 260.6K
$27.25 CHF 22.08
-46.79%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.35 Rp 78.2K
$32.23 CHF 26.10
-86.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.98 Rp 215.3K
$41.77 CHF 33.84
-71.32%
Apples (1kg)
$3.72 Rp 66.8K
$3.27 CHF 2.65
13.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.63 Rp 29.2K
$1.86 CHF 1.51
-12.37%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.74 Rp 49.3K
$2.45 CHF 1.98
11.84%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.3K
$7.04 CHF 5.70
-68.18%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 Rp 34.5K
$2.53 CHF 2.05
-24.11%
Onion (1kg)
$2.28 Rp 40.9K
$2.32 CHF 1.88
-1.72%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.06 Rp 19.1K
$2.38 CHF 1.93
-55.46%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 Rp 12.9K
$1.11 CHF 0.90
-35.14%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.29 Rp 59.0K
$10.80 CHF 8.75
-69.54%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.19 Rp 416.8K
$11.53 CHF 9.34
101.13%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.78 Rp 49.9K
$2.19 CHF 1.77
26.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
$2.39 CHF 1.93
14.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,786
$4.21 CHF 3.41
-93.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.11 Rp 145.7K
$82.5 CHF 66.8
-90.17%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,675
$6.79 CHF 5.50
-92.93%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,545
$4.10 CHF 3.32
-89.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.22 Rp 111.8K
$79.4 CHF 64.3
-92.16%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$2.14 CHF 1.73
-62.15%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.6K Rp 478.2M
$40.6K CHF 32.9K
-34.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.2K Rp 578.5M
$40.8K CHF 33.1K
-21.15%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$324 CHF 262
-75.79%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.07 Rp 73.1K
$59.4 CHF 48.09
-93.14%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.33 Rp 437.1K
$52.2 CHF 42.30
-53.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.6 Rp 1.8M
$82.7 CHF 67.0
19.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.34 Rp 113.9K
$100 CHF 81.0
-93.66%
Cinema Ticket
$3.99 Rp 71.6K
$31.00 CHF 25.11
-87.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$305 Rp 5.5M
$2,815 CHF 2,280
-89.16%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,642 Rp 119.4M
$34.2K CHF 27.7K
-80.59%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$54.1 Rp 972.9K
$145 CHF 118
-62.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$37.81 Rp 679.4K
$64.6 CHF 52.3
-41.45%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.8 Rp 1.6M
$159 CHF 128
-45.23%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.4 Rp 1.4M
$233 CHF 189
-67.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$992 Rp 17.8M
$1,816 CHF 1,471
-45.38%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$1,495 CHF 1,211
-54.99%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,375 Rp 60.7M
$2,793 CHF 2,262
20.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,050 Rp 36.8M
$2,310 CHF 1,871
-11.24%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,805 Rp 50.4M
$12.4K CHF 10.0K
-77.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,227 Rp 40.0M
$9,105 CHF 7,375
-75.54%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
St. Gallen
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$167 Rp 3.0M
$6,998 CHF 5,668
-97.61%
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: July 11, 2026

Last update for St. Gallen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $1,816 in St. Gallen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Gallen pays 4091% 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $147 in St. Gallen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $610 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, salaries run 4091% lower in St. Gallen. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,816 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 917% 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 $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,815 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 living in Ubud, Bali or in St. Gallen?
At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,529 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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