Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Isla de Margarita Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Isla de Margarita

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $663 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,232 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,801 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 117% more than Isla de Margarita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Isla de Margarita is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$9.96 VES 4,850

-64.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$79.1 VES 38.5K

-58.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.51 VES 1,224

12.75%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$1.02 VES 495

31.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$1.52 VES 742

-54.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$0.98 VES 477

205.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$3.09 VES 1,504

24.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.96 VES 954

-11.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$2.95 VES 1,435

-13.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.96 VES 957

-39.29%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.45 VES 1,195

-0.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$8.24 VES 4,013

77.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$7.78 VES 3,792

-46.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$7.90 VES 3,849

51.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.88 VES 1,891

-4.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.52 VES 742

5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.01 VES 982

33.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$2.43 VES 1,181

-4.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.47 VES 717

29.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.78 VES 866

23.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.99 VES 481

7.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$4.88 VES 2,378

381.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$0.98 VES 477

179.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.52 VES 742

89.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$2.92 VES 1,423

-84.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$3.02 VES 1,470

-86.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$29.45 VES 14.3K

166.28%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$14.74 VES 7,178

-73.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$40.33 VES 19.6K

-39.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$50.9 VES 24.8K

89.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$14.73 VES 7,174

-56.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$4.92 VES 2,398

-17.89%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$78.9 VES 38.4K

-31.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$101 VES 49.2K

-14.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$102 VES 49.6K

-22.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$298 VES 144.9K

240.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$498 VES 242.7K

580.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$589 VES 286.8K

407.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Isla de Margarita: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $298 in Isla de Margarita. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $79.0 in Isla de Margarita. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $232 in Isla de Margarita – so Isla de Margarita 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 Isla de Margarita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 117%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $994 in Isla de Margarita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 28% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $79.0 in Isla de Margarita. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Isla de Margarita, where all-in costs run around $663, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Isla de Margarita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Isla de Margarita – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Isla de Margarita. 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.