Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bocas del Toro and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,368 a month against $1,493 in Bocas del Toro, rent and utilities included – about $1,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Bocas del Toro outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Bocas del Toro

🇵🇦 Panama

$1,493

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,368

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bocas del Toro and in Ubud, Bali

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,493 in Bocas del Toro versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Bocas del Toro $1,493
Ubud, Bali $1,368

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,083 in Bocas del Toro versus $2,314 in Ubud, Bali.

Bocas del Toro $2,083
Ubud, Bali $2,314

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,673 in Bocas del Toro versus $3,260 in Ubud, Bali.

Bocas del Toro $2,673
Ubud, Bali $3,260

Living in Bocas del Toro is roughly 9% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bocas del Toro 11% above, Ubud, Bali 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.32 PAB 9.32

$3.33 Rp 59.9K

179.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.0 PAB 50.0

$35.18 Rp 633.2K

42.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.98 PAB 9.98

$5.80 Rp 104.5K

72.07%

Cappuccino

$4.11 PAB 4.11

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

50.55%

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

$1.71 PAB 1.71

$1.64 Rp 29.5K

4.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 PAB 1.66

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.95 PAB 1.95

$2.70 Rp 48.6K

-27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.03 PAB 4.03

$4.30 Rp 77.4K

-6.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 PAB 2.05

$1.50 Rp 27.1K

36.67%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 PAB 3.76

$2.30 Rp 41.4K

63.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

Eggs

$2.68 PAB 2.68

$2.14 Rp 38.6K

25.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.23 PAB 17.23

$17.48 Rp 314.6K

-1.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.84 PAB 8.84

$4.03 Rp 72.5K

119.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.44 PAB 8.44

$12.23 Rp 220.1K

-30.99%

Apples (1kg)

$9.93 PAB 9.93

$3.55 Rp 63.9K

179.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.53 PAB 1.53

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-2.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

Tomato (1kg)

$4.98 PAB 4.98

$1.93 Rp 34.7K

158.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.33 PAB 3.33

$1.88 Rp 33.9K

77.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.29 Rp 41.3K

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 PAB 1.58

$0.53 Rp 9,475

198.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.01 Rp 414.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 PAB 2.90

$2.34 Rp 42.2K

23.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 PAB 2.55

$2.91 Rp 52.4K

-12.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,315

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.82 Rp 158.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,684

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,233

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 98.2K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 Rp 15.9K

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

$24.6K Rp 442.2M

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

$31.2K Rp 561.4M

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

$83.0 Rp 1.5M

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

$40.68 PAB 40.68

$6.45 Rp 116.0K

530.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$34.96 PAB 34.96

$18.57 Rp 334.2K

88.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.8 Rp 1.0M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.11 Rp 326.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.38 Rp 78.9K

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

$493 Rp 8.9M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,754 Rp 103.6M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.19 Rp 831.4K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.33 Rp 636.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$742 PAB 742

$1,142 Rp 20.6M

-35.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 PAB 910

$676 Rp 12.2M

34.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,185 PAB 1,185

$3,503 Rp 63.1M

-66.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,178 PAB 1,178

$1,700 Rp 30.6M

-30.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 50.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$695 PAB 695

$165 Rp 3.0M

322.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Bocas del Toro: October 10, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Bocas del Toro

–

Ubud, Bali

$676 49.4%

Groceries & Markets

Bocas del Toro

–

Ubud, Bali

$290 21.2%

Eating Out

Bocas del Toro

–

Ubud, Bali

$109 8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bocas del Toro

–

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9%

Clothing & Footwear

Bocas del Toro

–

Ubud, Bali

$108 7.9%

Sport & Entertainment

Bocas del Toro

–

Ubud, Bali

$65 4.7%

Getting Around

Bocas del Toro

–

Ubud, Bali

$13 0.9%

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $742 in Bocas del Toro and $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bocas del Toro pays 322% 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: $50.0 in Bocas del Toro vs $35.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $290 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇵🇦 Bocas del Toro

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

02:23 2:23 AM

15:23 3:23 PM

13 h ahead of Bocas del Toro

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

159,228

74,800

💱 Currency

Panamanian Balboa PAB B/.

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

1 PAB = 1 USD

1 PAB = 0.89 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to PAB – Panamanian Balboa Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇵🇦 Panamanian Balboa (B/.)

Panamanian Balboa exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1 PAB (1 PAB = 1 USD). 1 EUR = 1.12 PAB (1 PAB = 0.89 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

USD to PAB in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Bocas del Toro Ubud, Bali 18,090 km ≈ 23 h nonstop flight

From you

Bocas del Toro
Ubud, Bali

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

Bocas del Toro vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bocas del Toro and Ubud, Bali differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($1,493 vs $1,368 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 322% higher in Bocas del Toro, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $742 in Bocas del Toro versus $1,142 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $35.00 versus $50.0 in Bocas del Toro. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,493 per month in Bocas del Toro versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 9% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,493 in Bocas del Toro, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Bocas del Toro. 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, Bocas del Toro and Ubud, Bali 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 9% less than in Bocas del Toro. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.