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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,070 in Cartagena, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,619 in Cartagena, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,168 in Cartagena, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 31% more than Cartagena, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Cartagena is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$5.89 COP 20.5K

-39.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$46.71 COP 163.0K

-30.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$9.43 COP 32.9K

-48.46%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$1.62 COP 5,658

69.75%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.82 COP 2,855

60.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.66 COP 2,309

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.25 COP 4,347

132.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.88 COP 10.1K

31.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.15 COP 4,020

48.70%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.92 COP 6,695

28.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.38 COP 4,818

-13.04%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.10 COP 7,317

16.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$6.73 COP 23.5K

113.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$6.13 COP 21.4K

-29.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$7.82 COP 27.3K

56.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$3.22 COP 11.2K

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.93 COP 6,729

-19.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.44 COP 5,011

93.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.65 COP 5,757

41.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.54 COP 5,378

27.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.06 COP 3,716

117.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.00 COP 3,489

6.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.64 COP 2,224

14.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$2.28 COP 7,973

43.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$18.45 COP 64.4K

23.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$0.94 COP 3,272

198.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$0.97 COP 3,392

186.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$1.03 COP 3,583

-71.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$28.09 COP 98.0K

-71.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$2.46 COP 8,570

-81.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$2.44 COP 8,521

-81.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$4.73 COP 16.5K

31.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.02 COP 3,552

-16.67%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$21.4K COP 74.8M

21.25%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$23.6K COP 82.3M

34.23%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$139 COP 486.8K

-42.11%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$10.98 COP 38.3K

-63.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$25.01 COP 87.3K

-2.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$34.52 COP 120.5K

182.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$8.50 COP 29.7K

-24.12%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$2.85 COP 9,936

41.75%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$139 COP 485.5K

118.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$5,857 COP 20.4M

13.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$47.52 COP 165.9K

14.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$38.12 COP 133.0K

1.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$126 COP 440.8K

-31.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$114 COP 396.4K

-32.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$725 COP 2.5M

35.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$334 COP 1.2M

96.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$1,271 COP 4.4M

165.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$466 COP 1.6M

343.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$3,075 COP 10.7M

-10.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$842 COP 2.9M

164.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$410 COP 1.4M

-60.15%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Cartagena: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $725 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 151% 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 $47.00 in Cartagena. Groceries tell a different story – $297 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 31% 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 $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,605 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 $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $139 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 $1,070, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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 $1,070 versus $1,404 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.