Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,349 a month against $2,436 in St. Thomas, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
St. Thomas, Canada
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
St. Thomas
🇨🇦 Canada
$2,436
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in St. Thomas

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in St. Thomas actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,436 in St. Thomas.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,349
  • St. Thomas $2,436

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,399 in St. Thomas.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,305
  • St. Thomas $3,399

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,261 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,363 in St. Thomas.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,261
  • St. Thomas $4,363

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 45% less than in St. Thomas, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
St. Thomas
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.32 Rp 60.2K
$21.56 CA$30.13
-84.60%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.64 Rp 645.8K
$63.6 CA$88.9
-44.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.53 Rp 100.3K
$11.22 CA$15.67
-50.71%
Cappuccino
$2.72 Rp 49.3K
$3.45 CA$4.82
-21.16%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.70 Rp 30.8K
$2.11 CA$2.95
-19.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
$1.63 CA$2.28
-53.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 48.1K
$4.85 CA$6.77
-45.36%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.38 Rp 79.4K
$6.15 CA$8.59
-28.78%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
St. Thomas
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.49 Rp 27.0K
$2.22 CA$3.10
-32.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.28 Rp 41.2K
$2.76 CA$3.85
-17.39%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
$3.78 CA$5.28
-68.52%
Eggs
$2.04 Rp 36.9K
$3.27 CA$4.57
-37.61%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.70 Rp 320.8K
$10.05 CA$14.04
76.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.96 Rp 71.8K
$15.80 CA$22.07
-74.94%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.19 Rp 220.9K
$19.72 CA$27.56
-38.18%
Apples (1kg)
$3.66 Rp 66.2K
$4.10 CA$5.73
-10.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.52 Rp 27.5K
$1.28 CA$1.78
18.75%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
$3.65 CA$5.10
-38.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.7K
$4.06 CA$5.68
-51.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 Rp 33.5K
$3.30 CA$4.61
-43.94%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 43.9K
$3.06 CA$4.27
-20.92%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
$2.87 CA$4.01
-65.51%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.51 Rp 9,303
$1.55 CA$2.17
-67.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.22 Rp 40.3K
$11.23 CA$15.70
-80.23%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.24 Rp 403.0K
$12.51 CA$17.48
77.78%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 Rp 41.0K
$2.52 CA$3.52
-10.32%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.8K
$2.91 CA$4.06
2.06%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
St. Thomas
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,548
$2.19 CA$3.06
-88.58%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$7.82 Rp 141.8K
$68.2 CA$95.2
-88.53%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,964
$2.38 CA$3.32
-81.51%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,793
$1.66 CA$2.32
-74.10%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.41 Rp 98.0K
$22.83 CA$31.91
-76.30%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.82 Rp 14.9K
$1.17 CA$1.64
-29.91%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.8K Rp 432.0M
$27.0K CA$37.8K
-11.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 575.3M
$23.1K CA$32.2K
37.74%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
St. Thomas
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$126 CA$176
-37.20%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 116.8K
$42.99 CA$60.1
-85.00%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.58 Rp 336.7K
$57.4 CA$80.2
-67.61%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
St. Thomas
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$49.48 Rp 896.7K
$39.32 CA$55.0
25.84%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$17.65 Rp 319.8K
$17.06 CA$23.84
3.46%
Cinema Ticket
$4.27 Rp 77.4K
$10.65 CA$14.88
-59.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
St. Thomas
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$491 Rp 8.9M
$421 CA$588
16.47%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,674 Rp 102.8M
$17.3K CA$24.2K
-67.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
St. Thomas
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.64 Rp 808.9K
$53.9 CA$75.4
-17.23%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.95 Rp 633.4K
$36.85 CA$51.5
-5.16%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$82.4 CA$115
-3.06%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
$90.4 CA$126
-12.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
St. Thomas
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,125 Rp 20.4M
$1,163 CA$1,625
-3.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$671 Rp 12.2M
$1,245 CA$1,740
-46.08%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,565 Rp 64.6M
$2,276 CA$3,180
56.61%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,723 Rp 31.2M
$1,659 CA$2,319
3.85%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,732 Rp 49.5M
$4,403 CA$6,152
-37.96%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,284 Rp 41.4M
$3,575 CA$4,996
-36.12%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
St. Thomas
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$164 Rp 3.0M
$3,004 CA$4,197
-94.55%
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: October 25, 2026

Last update for St. Thomas: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$672
St. Thomas
$1.2K 85.5% $574
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$288
St. Thomas
$399 38.3% $110
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$108
St. Thomas
$299 178% $191
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
St. Thomas
$119 10.3% $11
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$104
St. Thomas
$226 117% $122
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$58
St. Thomas
$61 4.5% $2.6
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$11
St. Thomas
$88 667% $76

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,125 in Ubud, Bali and $1,163 in St. Thomas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

St. Thomas pays about 18 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $36 in Ubud, Bali vs $64 in St. Thomas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $399 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇨🇦 St. Thomas
🕒 Local time
08:56 8:56 AM
19:56 7:56 PM
13 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
38,909
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

CAD, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 18,120 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.52 USD). 1 EUR = 20,232 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Canadian Dollar exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 1.4 CAD (1 CAD = 0.716 USD). 1 EUR = 1.56 CAD (1 CAD = 0.641 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali St. Thomas 15,880 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • St. Thomas

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in St. Thomas?
Total monthly costs including rent come to $1,349 in Ubud, Bali and $2,436 in St. Thomas, so Ubud, Bali is about 45% cheaper – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 95% lower in Ubud, Bali. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in St. Thomas?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,125 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,163 in St. Thomas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ubud, Bali and St. Thomas?
Childcare runs $491 in Ubud, Bali versus $421 in St. Thomas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 38% higher in St. Thomas. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is feasible on a $1,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Ubud, Bali is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and St. Thomas?
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.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or St. Thomas?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in St. Thomas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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