Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Marta and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Marta and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,494 in Santa Marta versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,761 in Santa Marta versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,028 in Santa Marta versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Santa Marta is roughly 9% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Marta 9% above, Ubud, Bali 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

Cappuccino

$3.98 COP 12.4K

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

49.06%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 COP 4,957

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

-1.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 COP 7,125

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-2.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 COP 3,730

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

8.11%

Eggs

$2.51 COP 7,819

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

14.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.27 COP 25.8K

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-53.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.91 COP 30.9K

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

141.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.84 COP 36.9K

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

-2.79%

Apples (1kg)

$4.18 COP 13.0K

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

12.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.02 COP 3,168

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

-35.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.10 COP 3,426

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

-51.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.16 COP 6,729

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

10.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.02 COP 3,173

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

-46.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 COP 5,082

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-30.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 COP 3,138

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 COP 1,952

$0.55 Rp 9,773

14.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.22 COP 13.2K

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

89.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.78 COP 55.5K

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-22.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.49 COP 4,657

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

-38.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 COP 4,558

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

-51.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 COP 2,958

$0.27 Rp 4,814

251.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.24 COP 10.1K

$0.48 Rp 8,566

575.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 COP 4,092

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

63.75%

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

$24.7K COP 76.9M

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

-1.15%

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

$35.3K COP 110.3M

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

11.44%

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

$159 COP 497.6K

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

95.76%

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

$9.78 COP 30.5K

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

50.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.89 COP 71.4K

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

21.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.48 COP 101.4K

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-42.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$5.37 COP 16.8K

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

18.28%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.1K COP 34.6M

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

94.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.9 COP 280.4K

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

97.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$63.9 COP 199.5K

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

78.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 COP 303.8K

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

21.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.8 COP 280.3K

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

14.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,133 COP 3.5M

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

1.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$751 COP 2.3M

$698 Rp 12.4M

7.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 COP 3.5M

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-69.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$633 COP 2.0M

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-63.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,108 COP 3.5M

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

-60.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,188 COP 3.7M

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

-48.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$542 COP 1.7M

$168 Rp 3.0M

222.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

19.54

13.78

41.80%

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

Last update for Santa Marta: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,133 in Santa Marta and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Santa Marta pays 223% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 9% lower than in Santa Marta. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 223% higher in Santa Marta, 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: $1,133 in Santa Marta versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Santa Marta pay roughly 10% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,494 per month in Santa Marta 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 $1,494 in Santa Marta, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Santa Marta. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,368 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Santa Marta 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 Santa Marta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.