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 $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $925 in St.James, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,586 in St.James, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,247 in St.James, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 48% more than St.James, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while St.James is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$10.49 TTD 70.6

-67.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$87.5 TTD 589

-58.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$9.07 TTD 61.0

-37.05%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.69 TTD 24.83

-27.64%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.00 TTD 6.75

75.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.76 TTD 5.11

14.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.27 TTD 15.27

29.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.60 TTD 24.21

25.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.51 TTD 16.90

-35.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.48 TTD 16.67

-6.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$2.85 TTD 19.17

-61.05%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$4.30 TTD 28.92

-48.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$6.50 TTD 43.73

172.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$9.97 TTD 67.1

-58.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$11.64 TTD 78.3

4.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$5.60 TTD 37.69

-33.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$3.12 TTD 20.99

-49.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$3.72 TTD 25.01

-38.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$4.17 TTD 28.04

-53.24%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$2.21 TTD 14.88

-13.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.93 TTD 13.00

20.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.84 TTD 12.37

-45.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.34 TTD 9.01

-58.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$6.02 TTD 40.50

-62.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$18.94 TTD 127

21.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$2.21 TTD 14.88

9.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.99 TTD 20.10

0.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.05 TTD 7.07

-54.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.24 TTD 8.34

-65.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$14.61 TTD 98.3

-61.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.17 TTD 7.85

-31.62%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$37.5K TTD 252.2K

-33.44%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$40.4K TTD 271.7K

-21.48%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$91.7 TTD 617

-11.19%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$52.6 TTD 354

-87.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$56.1 TTD 377

-66.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$8.90 TTD 59.9

-48.99%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$404 TTD 2,716

19.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$10.8K TTD 72.7K

-47.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$54.3 TTD 365

-16.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$52.0 TTD 350

-31.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$146 TTD 985

-45.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$103 TTD 691

-23.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.75

139.65%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for St.James: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $88.0 in St.James. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $354 – 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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, $925 in St.James – roughly 48% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Monthly Utilities & Internet showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,387 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 $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $925 in St.James. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $481 per month in Ubud, Bali and $404 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 $925, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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 $925 in St.James to $1,368 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.