Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and St Helens Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and St Helens

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,000 in St Helens.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,067 in St Helens.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,133 in St Helens.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 30% less than in St Helens, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, St Helens 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

$20.19 £15.04

-83.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

$82.8 £61.7

-60.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

$11.04 £8.22

-54.71%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

$3.68 £2.74

-23.37%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$2.92 £2.18

-52.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$2.01 £1.50

-63.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$3.99 £2.97

-25.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

$4.96 £3.69

-19.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

$1.38 £1.03

29.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$1.84 £1.37

33.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

$2.01 £1.50

-40.30%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

$4.15 £3.09

-42.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

$12.39 £9.23

16.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

$8.94 £6.66

-52.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

$11.08 £8.25

6.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

$3.27 £2.44

15.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$1.39 £1.04

17.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

$3.62 £2.69

-22.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

$3.54 £2.63

-36.16%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

$1.95 £1.45

2.56%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$2.10 £1.56

5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

$1.39 £1.04

-23.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$1.34 £1.00

-43.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

$20.11 £14.98

-84.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

$11.13 £8.29

113.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

$2.62 £1.96

8.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

$2.68 £1.99

3.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,726

$2.91 £2.17

-90.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

$105 £78.0

-92.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,034

$3.41 £2.54

-86.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,578

$1.86 £1.39

-76.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

$16.21 £12.07

-63.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.90 £1.42

-57.89%

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

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

$27.0K £20.1K

-4.44%

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

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

$33.9K £25.2K

-6.13%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$339 £252

-76.15%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

$15.71 £11.70

-73.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

$39.89 £29.71

-39.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$27.14 £20.21

260.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

$4.13 £3.07

60.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

$16.54 £12.32

-75.57%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$810 £603

-63.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

$6,855 £5,106

-3.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

$68.5 £51.0

-19.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

$54.3 £40.44

-29.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$88.9 £66.2

-3.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$122 £91.0

-36.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.5M

$831 £619

18.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$662 £493

0.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

$1,554 £1,157

121.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

$1,273 £948

60.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

$3,319 £2,472

-14.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

$2,356 £1,755

-3.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$2,561 £1,907

-93.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.54

139.71%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for St Helens: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $831 in St Helens. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St Helens pays 1413% 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 $83.0 in St Helens for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $301 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 Helens: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 44% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, St Helens earns 1413% 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: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $831 in St Helens. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,000 in St Helens – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 1151% less than in St Helens. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,000 in St Helens, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in St Helens. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in St Helens, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and St Helens 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 44% less than in St Helens. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.