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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,309 in St. Thomas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,403 in St. Thomas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,497 in St. Thomas.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 41% less than in St. Thomas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, St. Thomas 69% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$21.46 CA$30.02

-83.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$64.5 CA$90.2

-43.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$11.39 CA$15.94

-49.87%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.42 CA$4.79

-21.93%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$2.12 CA$2.97

-17.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.64 CA$2.30

-46.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$4.96 CA$6.94

-40.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$6.15 CA$8.60

-26.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.15 CA$3.01

-24.65%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.73 CA$3.81

-14.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$3.68 CA$5.15

-69.84%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$3.19 CA$4.46

-31.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$9.29 CA$12.99

90.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$16.28 CA$22.77

-74.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$19.78 CA$27.67

-38.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$4.07 CA$5.69

-8.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.31 CA$1.84

21.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$3.94 CA$5.51

-42.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$3.96 CA$5.55

-50.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$3.39 CA$4.74

-43.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$3.17 CA$4.44

-26.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$3.03 CA$4.24

-66.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.51 CA$2.11

-63.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$11.36 CA$15.89

-80.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$12.82 CA$17.94

79.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$2.47 CA$3.45

-2.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$2.80 CA$3.91

7.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$2.20 CA$3.08

-87.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$64.9 CA$90.8

-86.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$2.45 CA$3.42

-80.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.70 CA$2.38

-74.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$22.48 CA$31.44

-74.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.10 CA$1.54

-27.27%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$28.7K CA$40.2K

-13.19%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$20.8K CA$29.1K

52.58%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$126 CA$176

-35.13%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$44.17 CA$61.8

-85.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$57.3 CA$80.1

-67.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$42.42 CA$59.3

34.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$19.75 CA$27.63

-5.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$10.70 CA$14.98

-57.57%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$414 CA$579

16.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$17.2K CA$24.0K

-66.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$55.1 CA$77.1

-17.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$36.59 CA$51.2

-1.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$82.2 CA$115

-2.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$92.8 CA$130

-15.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$1,161 CA$1,625

-4.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$1,104 CA$1,544

-36.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$2,063 CA$2,886

76.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$1,611 CA$2,253

7.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$4,240 CA$5,931

-34.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$3,630 CA$5,078

-36.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$3,089 CA$4,322

-94.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.99

176.15%

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. Thomas: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $1,161 in St. Thomas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Thomas pays 1739% 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: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $64.0 in St. Thomas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $399 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. Thomas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and St. Thomas differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $2,309 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1739% lower in St. Thomas. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,161 in St. Thomas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $414 in St. Thomas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 35% higher in St. Thomas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,309 in St. Thomas, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in St. Thomas. 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. Thomas 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 69% less than in St. Thomas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.