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 $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $648 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,204 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,760 in Isla de Margarita, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 111% more than Isla de Margarita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Isla de Margarita is 53% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$10.13 VES 8,587

-66.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$78.8 VES 66.8K

-53.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.46 VES 2,081

8.54%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.02 VES 867

71.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$1.51 VES 1,281

-42.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.03 VES 871

186.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$2.96 VES 2,512

52.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.05 VES 1,739

-20.98%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.92 VES 2,473

-20.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.95 VES 1,648

-43.08%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.42 VES 2,054

-9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$7.91 VES 6,700

123.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$8.03 VES 6,806

-48.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$8.04 VES 6,813

51.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$4.08 VES 3,454

-9.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.46 VES 1,233

8.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$1.94 VES 1,645

17.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$2.54 VES 2,149

-23.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.48 VES 1,251

29.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.77 VES 1,499

31.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$1.02 VES 867

-0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$4.90 VES 4,154

370.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$0.97 VES 823

149.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$1.49 VES 1,261

101.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$3.04 VES 2,578

-84.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$2.98 VES 2,525

-85.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$30.33 VES 25.7K

168.58%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$15.19 VES 12.9K

-57.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$40.72 VES 34.5K

-53.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$50.4 VES 42.7K

12.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

$14.84 VES 12.6K

26.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$5.15 VES 4,361

-11.84%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$78.9 VES 66.9K

-42.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$102 VES 86.2K

-20.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$99.1 VES 84.0K

-20.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$297 VES 251.8K

275.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$497 VES 421.4K

631.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$605 VES 512.5K

360.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Isla de Margarita: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $297 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $79.0 in Isla de Margarita. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Ubud, Bali vs $234 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 111%, 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 $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $971 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 26% 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 $36.00 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 $648, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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.