Santa Teresa
Costa Rica
3/6
Budget$2,400
Internet70 Mbps
Vibe9/10
Side-by-side city decision
Santa Teresa vs Bali.
A direct comparison of monthly costs, connectivity, safety, quality of life and remote-work fit.
Santa TeresaCosta Rica3
VS
BaliIndonesia1
$2,400Santa Teresa monthly budget
$1,455Bali monthly budget
70 MbpsSanta Teresa internet
55 MbpsBali internet
Decision summary
Santa Teresa
Santa Teresa leads on more of the six headline signals.
Cost
Best budget
Bali
Speed
Fastest internet
Santa Teresa
Vibe
Best nomad vibe
Tie
Safety
Highest safety
Tie
Air
Cleanest air
Santa Teresa
Walk
Most walkable
Santa Teresa
Quick read
Two cities at a glance
The headline numbers before you examine the full comparison.
Bali
Indonesia
1/6
Budget$1,455
Internet55 Mbps
Vibe9/10
Full comparison
Compare what matters
Green marks the stronger numeric result. Text-only categories are presented without a winner.
Monthly budget and costs
7 signalsTotal estimated budget
$2,400
$1,455
1-bed center rent
$1,400
$850
Coworking desk
$250
$170
Local meal
$10
$2.5
Cappuccino
$3.8
$2.8
Gym membership
$70
$45
Transport budget
$150
$85
Work and infrastructure
2 signalsInternet speed
70 Mbps
55 Mbps
Nomad vibe
9/10
9/10
Quality of life
5 signalsSafety index
72/100
72/100
Air quality
88/100
70/100
Walkability
5/10
4/10
Female safety
7/10
7/10
LGBTQ+ friendly
8/10
6/10
Culture and climate
4 signalsHealthcare quality
Average
Good
English proficiency
Good
Good
Climate type
Tropical savanna
Tropical monsoon
Best time to visit
Dec - Apr
May - Sep
Beyond the numbers
What each city asks you to trade
Costs and scores help narrow the choice. These practical strengths and limitations finish the picture.
Santa Teresa
Costa Rica
Strengths
- World-class surf beaches and year-round outdoor lifestyle
- Large, social international remote-worker community
- Strong café, wellness, yoga, and coworking scene
- Warm weather and spectacular sunsets
- English is widely spoken in tourism-facing businesses
- Relaxed small-town atmosphere with excellent nature access
Trade-offs
- Rental prices are high for a small, remote beach town
- A scooter or ATV is often needed to get around
- Roads become muddy, rough, and difficult in the rainy season
- Internet and power reliability vary considerably by property
- Limited medical facilities and services locally
- Groceries, imported products, and nightlife can be expensive
Common visa routes
- Tourist entry permission, commonly granted for up to 180 days at the immigration officer's discretion
- Costa Rica Digital Nomad Visa for qualifying remote workers, valid for one year and renewable
- Temporary residence routes such as rentista, investor, or family-based residency
Bali
Indonesia
Strengths
- Large, established remote-worker community
- Affordable food, services, and domestic travel
- Excellent coworking choice in Canggu and Ubud
- Tropical lifestyle with beaches, rice fields, and surf
- Strong café culture and widespread digital payments
- Reliable mobile data and improving fiber internet
Trade-offs
- Traffic and unsafe scooter conditions are major drawbacks
- Rents in popular areas have risen sharply
- Sidewalks and public transport are limited
- Rainy-season humidity, flooding, and internet disruptions occur
- Tap water is not safe to drink
- Tourism pressure can make Canggu and Seminyak crowded
Common visa routes
- Visa on Arrival / electronic Visa on Arrival
- B211A Visit Visa
- E33G Remote Worker Visa
Reading the result
Use this as a planning benchmark
The headline score compares six directional signals. It does not weight personal priorities, visa eligibility, household size or individual lifestyle choices.
Costs are monthly estimates, not guaranteed prices.
Higher is better for quality scores and connectivity.
Lower is better for budgets and individual expenses.