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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,062 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,608 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,153 in Cartagena, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 35% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Cartagena is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$6.17 COP 22.3K

-42.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$47.58 COP 171.8K

-31.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$9.85 COP 35.5K

-48.53%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$1.65 COP 5,948

71.52%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.81 COP 2,914

65.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.67 COP 2,407

2.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.30 COP 4,682

130.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.95 COP 10.6K

30.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.14 COP 4,124

52.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.86 COP 6,715

36.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.33 COP 4,784

-10.53%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.11 COP 7,605

15.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$7.07 COP 25.5K

107.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$5.91 COP 21.3K

-29.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$8.13 COP 29.4K

46.86%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.20 COP 11.6K

15.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.96 COP 7,059

-17.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.50 COP 5,424

79.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.58 COP 5,689

47.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.55 COP 5,588

23.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.08 COP 3,892

102.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.00 COP 3,619

6.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.59 COP 2,144

22.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.36 COP 8,503

32.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$18.52 COP 66.8K

26.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$0.93 COP 3,367

194.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.03 COP 3,709

179.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$1.05 COP 3,805

-72.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$28.08 COP 101.4K

-70.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$2.38 COP 8,602

-81.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$2.37 COP 8,556

-82.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$4.93 COP 17.8K

24.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.03 COP 3,709

-18.45%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$20.9K COP 75.4M

25.72%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$23.6K COP 85.3M

37.48%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$142 COP 514.1K

-44.93%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$10.96 COP 39.6K

-63.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$25.17 COP 90.9K

-3.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$35.27 COP 127.3K

173.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$8.84 COP 31.9K

-28.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$2.94 COP 10.6K

37.41%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$142 COP 512.4K

113.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$5,910 COP 21.3M

10.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$48.13 COP 173.8K

11.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$39.46 COP 142.5K

-3.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$123 COP 445.3K

-29.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$115 COP 413.6K

-31.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$741 COP 2.7M

36.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$330 COP 1.2M

104.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$1,308 COP 4.7M

159.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$479 COP 1.7M

338.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$3,077 COP 11.1M

-3.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$1,977 COP 7.1M

18.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$420 COP 1.5M

-58.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-11.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $741 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 143% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $48.00 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $222 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 35% more than Cartagena, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,593 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 $303 per month in Ubud, Bali and $142 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 34% 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 $1,062, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. 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 $1,062 versus $1,438 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.