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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,086 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,604 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,121 in Cartagena, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 28% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Cartagena is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$5.93 COP 18.7K

-39.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$47.34 COP 149.1K

-31.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$9.95 COP 31.3K

-49.65%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$1.57 COP 4,950

79.62%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.82 COP 2,579

64.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.68 COP 2,128

7.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.31 COP 4,111

123.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.89 COP 9,107

36.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.14 COP 3,590

56.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.83 COP 5,777

33.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.37 COP 4,324

-16.06%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.19 COP 6,910

10.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$6.81 COP 21.5K

110.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$6.22 COP 19.6K

-32.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$7.77 COP 24.5K

55.21%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$3.26 COP 10.3K

11.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.91 COP 6,014

-17.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.45 COP 4,556

92.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.62 COP 5,101

38.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.61 COP 5,074

22.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.08 COP 3,400

111.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.01 COP 3,177

3.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.59 COP 1,865

33.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.35 COP 7,403

35.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$18.80 COP 59.2K

24.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$0.98 COP 3,083

195.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$0.98 COP 3,081

181.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$1.05 COP 3,311

-74.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$28.98 COP 91.2K

-71.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$2.46 COP 7,753

-81.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$2.37 COP 7,461

-80.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$4.86 COP 15.3K

24.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.02 COP 3,204

-15.69%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$21.1K COP 66.5M

25.91%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$24.0K COP 75.7M

35.36%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$143 COP 449.0K

-44.59%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$10.93 COP 34.4K

-62.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$25.27 COP 79.6K

-5.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$35.26 COP 111.0K

180.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$8.60 COP 27.1K

-26.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$2.84 COP 8,948

41.20%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$144 COP 453.7K

106.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$6,062 COP 19.1M

8.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$47.97 COP 151.0K

11.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$38.50 COP 121.2K

-1.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$125 COP 393.7K

-29.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$112 COP 351.2K

-31.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$720 COP 2.3M

41.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$333 COP 1.0M

104.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$1,292 COP 4.1M

168.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$471 COP 1.5M

343.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$3,492 COP 11.0M

-21.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$935 COP 2.9M

145.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$467 COP 1.5M

-64.98%

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: July 28, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $720 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $47.00 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $223 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 28% 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 $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,629 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 $297 per month in Ubud, Bali and $144 in Cartagena. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 33% 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 $1,086, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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 $1,086 versus $1,392 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.