Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cartagena and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,331 a month against $1,520 in Cartagena, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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

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Cartagena

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,520

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,331

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Cartagena 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 Cartagena and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,520 per month in Cartagena vs $1,331 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Cartagena $1,520
Ubud, Bali $1,331

A couple spends around $2,565 per month in Cartagena vs $2,255 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Cartagena $2,565
Ubud, Bali $2,255

A family of three spends $3,610 per month in Cartagena vs $3,180 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Cartagena $3,610
Ubud, Bali $3,180

Cartagena costs about 14% more than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Cartagena sits 12% above the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 2% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.63 COP 18.2K

$3.38 Rp 61.2K

66.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$142 COP 457.5K

$34.65 Rp 628.6K

308.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.19 COP 32.9K

$5.57 Rp 101.1K

82.94%

Cappuccino

$4.44 COP 14.3K

$2.62 Rp 47.5K

69.47%

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

$2.44 COP 7,876

$1.54 Rp 27.9K

58.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 COP 7,198

$0.64 Rp 11.6K

248.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.18 COP 10.3K

$2.67 Rp 48.4K

19.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 COP 16.3K

$4.26 Rp 77.3K

18.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 COP 6,121

$1.46 Rp 26.5K

30.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.78 COP 8,970

$2.29 Rp 41.6K

21.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 COP 4,615

$1.11 Rp 20.1K

28.83%

Eggs

$4.96 COP 16.0K

$2.10 Rp 38.1K

136.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.42 COP 43.3K

$15.94 Rp 289.2K

-15.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.30 COP 55.9K

$3.88 Rp 70.4K

345.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.40 Rp 206.8K

Apples (1kg)

$3.55 Rp 64.4K

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.9K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.5K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.8K

Potato (1kg)

$1.86 Rp 33.7K

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 43.9K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 18.6K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 COP 6,639

$0.52 Rp 9,475

296.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.20 Rp 39.9K

Wine (Bottle)

$14.10 COP 45.5K

$21.79 Rp 395.2K

-35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.39 COP 4,503

$2.33 Rp 42.2K

-40.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 Rp 53.9K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.25 COP 4,027

$0.25 Rp 4,542

400.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$67.0 COP 216.1K

$8.17 Rp 148.3K

719.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.65 COP 15.0K

$0.44 Rp 7,941

956.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.69 COP 11.9K

$0.47 Rp 8,489

685.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.53 COP 30.8K

$5.60 Rp 101.6K

70.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,341

$0.83 Rp 15.0K

61.45%

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

$33.9K COP 109.5M

$24.4K Rp 443.5M

38.74%

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

$35.0K COP 113.1M

$31.7K Rp 575.0M

10.50%

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

$79.0 COP 254.9K

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

1.92%

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

$6.14 Rp 111.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.92 Rp 343.1K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.8 COP 177.0K

$51.0 Rp 925.0K

7.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.25 Rp 331.0K

Cinema Ticket

$8.10 COP 26.1K

$4.38 Rp 79.5K

84.93%

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

$630 COP 2.0M

$492 Rp 8.9M

27.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K COP 38.6M

$12.2K Rp 221.7M

-2.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.16 Rp 819.2K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.89 Rp 632.9K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,347 COP 4.3M

$1,078 Rp 19.5M

25.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$842 COP 2.7M

$665 Rp 12.1M

26.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,468 COP 8.0M

$3,510 Rp 63.7M

-29.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 COP 5.1M

$1,671 Rp 30.3M

-5.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,340 Rp 42.4M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$921 COP 3.0M

$2,236 Rp 40.6M

-58.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$464 COP 1.5M

$166 Rp 3.0M

178.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.85%

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

Last update for Cartagena: November 2, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cartagena

–

Ubud, Bali

$665 50%

Groceries & Markets

Cartagena

–

Ubud, Bali

$279 21%

Clothing & Footwear

Cartagena

–

Ubud, Bali

$106 8%

Eating Out

Cartagena

–

Ubud, Bali

$106 8%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cartagena

–

Ubud, Bali

$103 7.7%

Sport & Entertainment

Cartagena

–

Ubud, Bali

$60 4.5%

Getting Around

Cartagena

–

Ubud, Bali

$12 0.9%

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,347 in Cartagena versus $1,078 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Cartagena are about 2.8 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $142 in Cartagena versus $35 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $259 in Cartagena vs $279 in Ubud, Bali – so Cartagena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Cartagena

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

12:22 12:22 PM

01:22 1:22 AM

13 h ahead of Cartagena

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,028,736

74,800

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.1 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.92 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 3,229 COP (10,000 COP = 3.1 USD). 1 EUR = 3,615 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18,140 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,309 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.92 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Cartagena Ubud, Bali 18,810 km ≈ 24 h nonstop flight

From you

Cartagena
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

Cartagena vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cartagena costs about 14% more than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,279 per month in Cartagena and $1,996 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,078 there versus $1,347 in Cartagena.

Kindergarten costs $630 per month in Cartagena and $492 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 7% cheaper in Cartagena – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$1,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,520 in Cartagena and $1,331 in Ubud, Bali. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,331 versus $1,520 in Cartagena. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cartagena makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.