🇪🇸 Las Palmas vs Ubud 🇮🇩
Deciding between Las Palmas and Ubud means trading cost against comfort, climate and community. Here is how the two compare on every metric that shapes a working month abroad.
Las Palmas is in Spain, Ubud in Indonesia, which matters more than it sounds: it changes your visa options, your tax exposure and how easily you can hop home for a wedding.
Short answer
Las Palmas and Ubud score almost identically overall (4.4/5 vs 4.3/5), so cost is the tiebreaker — and Ubud is $500 a month cheaper.
| Metric | 🇪🇸 Las Palmas | 🇮🇩 Ubud |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $1,700 | $1,200 ✓ |
| Nomad score | 4.4/5 ✓ | 4.3/5 |
| Internet | 4.2/5 ✓ | 3.8/5 |
| Safety | 4.5/5 ✓ | 4.1/5 |
| Walkability | 4.3/5 ✓ | 3.4/5 |
| Fun & nightlife | 4.1/5 ✓ | 4/5 |
| Weather | 4.9/5 ✓ | 4.5/5 |
| Air quality | 4.4/5 ✓ | 4.1/5 |
Cost of living: Las Palmas vs Ubud
Start with money. Living in Ubud costs around $1,200 a month; Las Palmas asks about $1,700 for the same standard of living. Put another way: 29% off your burn rate, or $6,000 over a year that stays in your account rather than your landlord's. Both figures are typical all-in nomad budgets: a one-bedroom rental, groceries and regular restaurant meals, local transport, a mobile data plan and a hot desk at a coworking space. Short lets and central districts push the number up; a longer lease signed locally usually pulls it well down.
Time zones and the working day
The time difference between Las Palmas and Ubud is 8 hours — Las Palmas runs on UTC and Ubud on UTC+8, putting Ubud ahead. A 9–6 day in each city overlaps by only about 1 hours, so one of you is taking calls early or late. Worth checking against your clients before you commit to a lease.
Internet and wifi for remote work
Las Palmas wins the wifi round, scoring 4.2/5 where Ubud manages 3.8/5 — a slim margin. That number blends home fibre speeds, mobile data quality and the odds of finding a café or coworking desk you can actually work a full day from. Both are solid enough for day-to-day remote work; a local data SIM covers you on the odd bad day.
Safety, walkability and nightlife
Las Palmas rates higher for safety (4.5/5 versus 4.1/5) — a slim margin in day-to-day terms like walking home late, petty theft and how comfortable solo travellers report feeling. On walkability Las Palmas takes it at 4.3/5 against 3.4/5, which in practice decides whether you can live without a car or a daily ride-hail habit. For nightlife, events and the general odds of meeting people, Las Palmas scores 4.1/5 to Ubud’s 4/5.
Weather and air quality
Las Palmas has the better climate for year-round remote work, 4.9/5 against 4.5/5 — our weather score rewards mild shoulder seasons and penalises long stretches you would rather not be outside in. The two also sit in opposite hemispheres — Las Palmas is north of the equator, Ubud south — so their seasons run six months out of phase. That is a genuine advantage if you want to chase summer rather than sit through two winters a year. Air quality is the bigger split: Las Palmas rates 4.4/5 and Ubud 4.1/5. If you run, cycle or have any respiratory sensitivity, that gap is worth more than a few hundred dollars of rent.
Visas and how long you can stay
This is where the two genuinely diverge. Spain offers a long-stay route for remote workers, valid 1-year visa, convertible to a 3-year permit and requiring around $3,000 a month in proven income. Indonesia offers a long-stay route for remote workers, valid 1 year (E33G Remote Worker KITAS) and requiring around $5,000 a month in proven income. Always confirm current rules with the relevant consulate before you book anything long.
Las Palmas vs Ubud: the verdict
- Choose Ubud if your priority is stretching your runway — it is the cheaper base at $1,200 a month, saving you $6,000 a year.
- Choose Las Palmas if you want the higher all-round score (4.4/5 against 4.3/5) and are willing to pay for it.
- Safety first? Las Palmas is the higher-rated of the two. Live or die by your upload speed? Las Palmas has the better connectivity score. If daily life on foot matters, Las Palmas is built better for it. Want more usable months outdoors? Las Palmas has the kinder climate.
Dig deeper on each city
Useful next: the meeting time-zone planner, the digital nomad visa index, and how to get paid while working abroad.
Ready to go? Set up for Las Palmas or Ubud
Whichever you choose, here's the remote-work kit worth sorting before you land:
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Las Palmas vs Ubud: frequently asked questions
Is Las Palmas or Ubud cheaper for digital nomads?
Ubud is cheaper, at roughly $1,200 a month against $1,700 for Las Palmas — a difference of $6,000 a year. Those are full monthly budgets, not rent alone: a one-bed flat, food, getting around, mobile data and a coworking desk.
What is the time difference between Las Palmas and Ubud?
8 hours. Las Palmas is on UTC and Ubud is on UTC+8, and a normal 9–6 working day overlaps by about 1 hours.
Which has better internet, Las Palmas or Ubud?
Las Palmas rates 4.2/5 for internet and Ubud 3.8/5, so Las Palmas is the safer bet if you live on video calls.
Which is safer, Las Palmas or Ubud?
Las Palmas scores 4.5/5 for safety and Ubud scores 4.1/5, giving Las Palmas the edge for solo travellers and late-night walks home.
Las Palmas or Ubud — which is better overall for remote work?
Overall, Las Palmas leads with a 4.4/5 nomad score against 4.3/5 for Ubud. Treat that as a starting point rather than a verdict: budget, weather and visa access will move the answer for most people.
Can I get a digital nomad visa for Las Palmas or Ubud?
Spain offers a long-stay route for remote workers, valid 1-year visa, convertible to a 3-year permit and requiring around $3,000 a month in proven income. Indonesia offers a long-stay route for remote workers, valid 1 year (E33G Remote Worker KITAS) and requiring around $5,000 a month in proven income.
Which has better weather, Las Palmas or Ubud?
Las Palmas rates 4.9/5 for climate and Ubud 4.5/5, with air quality at 4.4/5 and 4.1/5 respectively.
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