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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,153 in St John.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,797 in St John.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Ubud, Bali versus $6,442 in St John.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 55% less than in St John, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, St John 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$17.21 $17.21

-80.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$163 $163

-79.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$8.37 $8.37

-39.31%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$6.48 $6.48

-56.48%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$3.01 $3.01

-54.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$2.06 $2.06

-65.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$6.34 $6.34

-53.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$7.03 $7.03

-44.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$2.89 $2.89

-39.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$5.63 $5.63

-55.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$1.51 $1.51

-19.87%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$6.58 $6.58

-64.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$17.69 $17.69

-18.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$26.27 $26.27

-83.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$5.10 $5.10

-68.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$9.03 $9.03

-75.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$4.39 $4.39

-50.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$4.85 $4.85

-78.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$6.04 $6.04

-54.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$5.82 $5.82

-95.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

$139 $139

-93.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

$3.06 $3.06

-85.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$1.61 $1.61

-47.20%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$22.6K $22.6K

39.39%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$249 $249

-68.00%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$59.9 $59.9

-59.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$13.7K $13.7K

-51.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$98.9 $98.9

-44.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$60.4 $60.4

-35.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$50.1 $50.1

78.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$50.2 $50.2

57.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$2,179 $2,179

-53.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$1,816 $1,816

-63.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$3,020 $3,020

-32.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

$13.1K $13.1K

-77.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

$4,059 $4,059

-95.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

7.05

88.37%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for St John: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali and $2,179 in St John. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St John pays 2259% 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 in Ubud, Bali vs $163 in St John for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $418 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 John: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and St John differ by about 124% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $3,153 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, St John earns 2259% 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: $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,179 in St John. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 40% higher in St John. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $3,153 in St John – a 124% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,153 in St John, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in St John. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and St John 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 124% less than in St John. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.