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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $914 in St.James, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,615 in St.James, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,317 in St.James, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 52% more than St.James, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while St.James is 31% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$10.37 TTD 69.7

-65.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$89.0 TTD 598

-63.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$7.52 TTD 50.5

-33.38%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$3.64 TTD 24.41

-22.53%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.05 TTD 7.02

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.78 TTD 5.26

-6.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.81 TTD 12.13

61.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$3.17 TTD 21.30

24.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$2.69 TTD 18.06

-33.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$2.81 TTD 18.85

-12.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$2.62 TTD 17.59

-56.11%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$5.04 TTD 33.86

-52.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$8.02 TTD 53.8

78.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$10.23 TTD 68.7

-59.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$14.14 TTD 95.0

-14.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$5.94 TTD 39.87

-38.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$2.62 TTD 17.59

-40.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$4.43 TTD 29.76

-37.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$4.80 TTD 32.26

-53.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.44 TTD 9.64

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.72 TTD 11.57

32.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.91 TTD 12.82

-45.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.40 TTD 9.37

-43.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$5.85 TTD 39.31

-45.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$19.42 TTD 130

20.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.20 TTD 14.77

31.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.72 TTD 18.28

1.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.02 TTD 6.84

-55.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.28 TTD 8.63

-64.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$15.00 TTD 101

-59.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.09 TTD 7.32

-21.10%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$34.0K TTD 228.3K

-21.81%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$38.6K TTD 259.4K

-15.73%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$79.3 TTD 532

-0.30%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$46.15 TTD 310

-91.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$62.4 TTD 419

-61.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$10.11 TTD 67.9

-60.34%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$325 TTD 2,184

-8.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$7,329 TTD 49.2K

-9.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$58.9 TTD 395

-9.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$37.85 TTD 254

0.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$144 TTD 965

-38.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$129 TTD 867

-40.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.38

146.84%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for St.James: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $89.0 in St.James. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $378 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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.James: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, $914 in St.James – roughly 52% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,370 in St.James. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,392 in Ubud, Bali and $914 in St.James. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $297 per month in Ubud, Bali and $325 in St.James. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in St.James, where all-in costs run around $914, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In St.James it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $914 in St.James to $1,392 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with St.James. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.