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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,674 in Cartago.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,346 in Cartago.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,018 in Cartago.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 18% less than in Cartago, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Cartago 22% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$8.96 ₡3,983

-61.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$35.29 ₡15.7K

2.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$10.07 ₡4,474

-43.30%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$4.52 ₡2,008

-40.93%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$2.23 ₡993

-21.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.44 ₡640

-39.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.18 ₡970

35.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$4.24 ₡1,884

6.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.45 ₡1,090

-33.88%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.38 ₡1,059

-2.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$2.53 ₡1,122

-56.13%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$3.52 ₡1,566

-37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$8.83 ₡3,926

100.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$10.37 ₡4,611

-60.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$13.92 ₡6,185

-12.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$5.08 ₡2,257

-26.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.30 ₡576

22.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$4.54 ₡2,018

-49.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$3.08 ₡1,370

-36.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$2.28 ₡1,016

-16.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.24 ₡995

4.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.10 ₡489

-8.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$2.25 ₡1,002

-75.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$5.95 ₡2,643

-62.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$15.50 ₡6,888

48.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$2.80 ₡1,244

-13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.97 ₡878

52.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$1.29 ₡574

-79.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$76.5 ₡34.0K

-88.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.34 ₡597

-64.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.58 ₡701

-72.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$9.01 ₡4,005

-37.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.50 ₡668

-46.67%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$21.9K ₡9.7M

14.08%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$34.9K ₡15.5M

-9.04%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$54.2 ₡24.1K

50.24%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$36.97 ₡16.4K

-82.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$62.3 ₡27.7K

-69.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$74.1 ₡32.9K

-23.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$77.4 ₡34.4K

-75.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$7.08 ₡3,146

-35.88%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$559 ₡248.6K

-14.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$7,916 ₡3.5M

-27.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$73.0 ₡32.5K

-37.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$55.9 ₡24.8K

-35.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$124 ₡55.1K

-35.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$89.3 ₡39.7K

-11.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$874 ₡388.3K

27.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$718 ₡319.1K

-2.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,873 ₡832.7K

94.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$733 ₡325.8K

136.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$1,335 ₡593.3K

-87.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.78

56.95%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Cartago: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $874 in Cartago. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cartago pays 695% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $35.00 in Cartago. Groceries flip the comparison at $295 vs $351, with Ubud, Bali cheaper for home cooking.

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 Cartago: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 695% lower in Cartago. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $874 in Cartago. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 752% less than in Cartago. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $559 in Cartago. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,674 in Cartago, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Cartago. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Cartago, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Cartago are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Cartago. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.