Side-by-side city decision # St. Louis vs Ubud. A direct comparison of monthly costs, connectivity, safety, quality of life and remote-work fit. Share comparison Copy link St. LouisUnited States1/6 VS UbudIndonesia4/6 $2,150St. Louis monthly budget $1,290Ubud monthly budget 245 MbpsSt. Louis internet 55 MbpsUbud internet Decision summary Ubud Ubud leads on more of the six headline signals. Cost Best budget Ubud Speed Fastest internet St. Louis Vibe Best nomad vibe Ubud Safety Highest safety Ubud Air Cleanest air Ubud Walk Most walkable Tie Quick read ## Two cities at a glance The headline numbers before you examine the full comparison. [St. Louis](https://jobicy.com/cost-of-living/united-states/st-louis.md) United States 1/6 Budget$2,150 Internet245 Mbps Vibe7/10 [Ubud](https://jobicy.com/cost-of-living/indonesia/ubud.md) Indonesia 4/6 Budget$1,290 Internet55 Mbps Vibe8/10 Full comparison ## Compare what matters Green marks the stronger numeric result. Text-only categories are presented without a winner. Differences only ### Monthly budget and costs 7 signals MetricSt. LouisUbud Total estimated budget $2,150 $1,290 1-bed center rent $1,250 $750 Coworking desk $275 $180 Local meal $18 $2.2 Cappuccino $5.3 $2.8 Gym membership $45 $55 Transport budget $100 $80 ### Work and infrastructure 2 signals MetricSt. LouisUbud Internet speed 245 Mbps 55 Mbps Nomad vibe 7/10 8/10 ### Quality of life 5 signals MetricSt. LouisUbud Safety index 38/100 72/100 Air quality 68/100 76/100 Walkability 5/10 5/10 Female safety 5/10 7/10 LGBTQ+ friendly 7/10 7/10 ### Culture and climate 4 signals MetricSt. LouisUbud Healthcare quality Excellent Good English proficiency Excellent Good Climate type Humid continental Tropical monsoon Best time to visit Apr - Jun 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. [St. Louis](https://jobicy.com/cost-of-living/united-states/st-louis.md) United States → ### Strengths * Lower living costs than many major US cities * Fast and widely available home internet * Excellent hospitals and specialist healthcare * Strong food, music, sports, and arts scenes * Friendly Midwestern social culture * Large historic neighborhoods with distinctive character ### Trade-offs * Crime levels vary sharply by neighborhood * A car is useful for much of the metro area * Hot, humid summers and cold winter spells * Public transit has limited citywide coverage * No dedicated US digital nomad visa * Downtown can feel quiet outside events and work hours ### Common visa routes * Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) * B-1/B-2 Visitor Visa * F-1 Student Visa [Ubud](https://jobicy.com/cost-of-living/indonesia/ubud.md) Indonesia → ### Strengths * Large and welcoming remote-worker community * Excellent cafés, wellness studios, and coworking options * Affordable local food and services * Lush rice-field scenery and Balinese culture * Strong cashless payment adoption * Year-round warm weather ### Trade-offs * Severe scooter traffic on main roads * Sidewalks are limited and inconsistent * Rents rise sharply in popular central areas * Rainy-season humidity and occasional flooding * Tap water is not safe to drink * Construction noise is common ### Common visa routes * Visa on Arrival / e-VOA for eligible nationalities * 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.