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 $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $648 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,551 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,210 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,771 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 115% more than Isla de Margarita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Isla de Margarita is 51% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

$10.10 VES 6,013

-66.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

$81.5 VES 48.5K

-60.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

$2.48 VES 1,474

13.71%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$0.97 VES 580

42.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$1.53 VES 911

-52.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$1.02 VES 609

192.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

$3.06 VES 1,824

29.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

$1.97 VES 1,171

-9.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$2.97 VES 1,767

-17.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

$1.96 VES 1,167

-38.78%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

$2.35 VES 1,398

1.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

$8.17 VES 4,865

76.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

$8.09 VES 4,813

-47.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

$8.03 VES 4,778

47.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

$3.89 VES 2,316

-2.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$1.46 VES 870

11.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

$1.98 VES 1,179

41.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

$2.57 VES 1,528

-12.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

$1.48 VES 883

35.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$1.78 VES 1,060

24.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

$1.02 VES 607

4.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

$4.94 VES 2,938

381.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

$1.02 VES 608

178.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

$1.48 VES 882

87.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,726

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,034

$2.92 VES 1,736

-84.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,578

$3.02 VES 1,801

-85.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

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

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

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

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$30.35 VES 18.1K

166.03%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

$15.09 VES 8,982

-72.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

$39.38 VES 23.4K

-38.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$50.4 VES 30.0K

94.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

$15.23 VES 9,064

-56.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

$5.08 VES 3,023

-20.47%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

$78.9 VES 47.0K

-30.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$99.3 VES 59.1K

-13.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$101 VES 60.0K

-22.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.5M

$304 VES 181.0K

224.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

$494 VES 294.1K

597.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

$604 VES 359.4K

368.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Isla de Margarita: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $304 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $82.0 in Isla de Margarita. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Ubud, Bali vs $235 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 115%, 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 $2,091 per month in Ubud, Bali and $972 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $82.0 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 $648, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,394. 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.