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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,295 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,130 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,966 in Cartagena, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 6% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Cartagena is 5% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$4.95 COP 15.5K

-30.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$135 COP 422.2K

-73.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$10.19 COP 31.8K

-43.96%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.61 COP 11.3K

-26.04%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.88 COP 5,879

-6.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.82 COP 5,670

-52.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.06 COP 6,425

43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$4.87 COP 15.2K

-7.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.97 COP 6,144

-17.77%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.99 COP 9,317

-22.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.51 COP 4,703

-26.49%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$5.21 COP 16.2K

-57.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$13.62 COP 42.5K

29.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$17.97 COP 56.1K

-77.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$2.07 COP 6,464

-73.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$14.76 COP 46.1K

56.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.40 COP 4,362

72.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$1.29 COP 4,018

-79.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$59.4 COP 185.2K

-84.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$4.85 COP 15.1K

-90.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$3.84 COP 12.0K

-88.80%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$9.83 COP 30.7K

-42.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.38 COP 4,300

-42.03%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$23.9K COP 74.6M

4.27%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$34.8K COP 108.7M

-8.98%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$80.9 COP 252.4K

0.69%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$90.5 COP 282.5K

-37.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$8.48 COP 26.5K

-46.46%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$651 COP 2.0M

-26.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$5,929 COP 18.5M

-3.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$1,087 COP 3.4M

2.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$581 COP 1.8M

20.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$2,355 COP 7.3M

54.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$978 COP 3.1M

77.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$968 COP 3.0M

136.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$480 COP 1.5M

-65.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

-8.13%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,087 in Cartagena. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 186% higher in Cartagena, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $135 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Ubud, Bali vs $268 in Cartagena – so Cartagena wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 costs about 6% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,942 in Cartagena. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cartagena, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $481 per month in Ubud, Bali and $651 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Cartagena, where all-in costs run around $1,295, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Cartagena it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Cartagena costs $1,295 versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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