Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Cartagena, Spain

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,349 a month against $1,425 in Cartagena, rent and utilities included – about $910 less a year. The total is higher in Cartagena despite lower rent and utilities.

65

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
Learn more

Ubud, Bali Living Index
68

Cost of Living Index in Cartagena
Learn more

Cartagena Living Index

Jump to prices

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,349

/mo nomad

Cartagena

🇪🇸 Spain

$1,425

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Cartagena

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,349 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,425 in Cartagena.

Ubud, Bali $1,349
Cartagena $1,425

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,305 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,101 in Cartagena.

Ubud, Bali $2,305
Cartagena $2,101

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,261 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,778 in Cartagena.

Ubud, Bali $3,261
Cartagena $2,778

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 5% less than in Cartagena, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 60.2K

$13.84 €12.40

-76.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.64 Rp 645.8K

$56.2 €50.3

-36.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 Rp 100.3K

$7.95 €7.12

-30.44%

Cappuccino

$2.72 Rp 49.3K

$2.47 €2.21

10.12%

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

$1.70 Rp 30.8K

$2.56 €2.30

-33.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.8K

$1.82 €1.63

-58.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 Rp 48.1K

$3.42 €3.06

-22.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 Rp 79.4K

$3.86 €3.46

13.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 Rp 27.0K

$1.22 €1.09

22.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

$1.19 €1.06

91.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 21.6K

$2.63 €2.35

-54.75%

Eggs

$2.04 Rp 36.9K

$3.96 €3.54

-48.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.70 Rp 320.8K

$12.82 €11.48

38.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 Rp 71.8K

$6.71 €6.01

-40.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 Rp 220.9K

$18.75 €16.79

-34.99%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 66.2K

$2.37 €2.12

54.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.5K

$2.45 €2.19

-37.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.4K

$1.58 €1.42

41.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.7K

$3.20 €2.87

-38.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 33.5K

$1.28 €1.14

44.53%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 43.9K

$1.26 €1.13

92.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.9K

$1.53 €1.37

-35.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,303

$0.69 €0.62

-26.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 40.3K

$5.71 €5.11

-61.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.24 Rp 403.0K

$6.30 €5.64

253.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 41.0K

$1.21 €1.08

86.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 Rp 53.8K

$1.17 €1.05

153.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,548

$1.48 €1.32

-83.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.82 Rp 141.8K

$11.08 €9.93

-29.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,964

$5.65 €5.06

-92.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,793

$2.23 €2.00

-80.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 Rp 98.0K

$27.72 €24.83

-80.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.9K

$1.77 €1.59

-53.67%

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

$23.8K Rp 432.0M

$34.6K €30.9K

-31.01%

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

$31.7K Rp 575.3M

$29.9K €26.7K

6.34%

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

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

$211 €189

-62.55%

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

$6.45 Rp 116.8K

$19.43 €17.40

-66.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.58 Rp 336.7K

$29.27 €26.21

-36.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.48 Rp 896.7K

$41.23 €36.92

20.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.65 Rp 319.8K

$12.81 €11.47

37.78%

Cinema Ticket

$4.27 Rp 77.4K

$7.72 €6.91

-44.69%

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

$491 Rp 8.9M

$406 €364

20.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,674 Rp 102.8M

$2,651 €2,374

114.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.64 Rp 808.9K

$46.46 €41.61

-3.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 Rp 633.4K

$34.88 €31.24

0.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$60.6 €54.2

31.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$101 €90.5

-21.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 Rp 20.4M

$596 €534

88.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Rp 12.2M

$490 €439

37.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,565 Rp 64.6M

$872 €781

308.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 Rp 31.2M

$720 €644

139.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,732 Rp 49.5M

$1,737 €1,556

57.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 Rp 41.4M

$1,427 €1,278

60.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$1,704 €1,526

-90.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

4.06

239.41%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$672 49.8%

Cartagena

$490 34.4% 27.1% $182

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$288 21.4%

Cartagena

$269 18.9% 6.7% $19

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Cartagena

$207 14.5% 91.8% $99

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Cartagena

$109 7.7% 1.7% $1.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$104 7.7%

Cartagena

$260 18.2% 150% $156

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$58 4.3%

Cartagena

$57 4% 2.4% $1.4

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$11 0.9%

Cartagena

$34 2.4% 196% $22

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,125 in Ubud, Bali and $596 in Cartagena. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartagena pays about 10 times more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $36 in Ubud, Bali vs $56 in Cartagena. Groceries flip the comparison at $288 vs $269, with Cartagena cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇪🇸 Cartagena

🕒 Local time

23:49 11:49 PM

16:49 4:49 PM

7 h behind Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

218,050

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Euro EUR €

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.52 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

1 EUR = 1.12 USD

Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 18,120 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.52 USD). 1 EUR = 20,232 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Ubud, Bali Cartagena 12,890 km ≈ 17 h nonstop flight

From you

Ubud, Bali
Cartagena

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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Cartagena. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 90% lower in Ubud, Bali. That’s worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,125 in Ubud, Bali versus $596 in Cartagena. 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 $36 versus $56 in Cartagena. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $1,349 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,425 in Cartagena – Ubud, Bali is about 5% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $1,000. Ubud, Bali is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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, Ubud, Bali and Cartagena are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.

It comes down to priorities – Ubud, Bali wins on affordability, Cartagena on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.