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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,019 per month in Chapala vs $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,511 per month in Chapala vs $2,557 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,002 per month in Chapala vs $3,723 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Chapala is about 27% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Chapala sits 23% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 5% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.29 MX$143

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

132.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.31 MX$594

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

6.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.75 MX$117

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

34.73%

Cappuccino

$3.22 MX$55.8

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

14.18%

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

$1.97 MX$34.09

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

45.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.82

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

32.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.04 MX$35.30

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-30.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.22 MX$55.8

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

-18.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 MX$27.56

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-10.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.65 MX$45.88

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

8.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.59 MX$27.55

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

38.26%

Eggs

$2.24 MX$38.70

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

-7.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.26 MX$143

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

-42.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.43 MX$129

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

77.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.67 MX$133

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

-36.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 MX$38.95

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

-38.19%

Banana (1kg)

$0.92 MX$15.88

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-41.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.85 MX$14.76

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-69.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 MX$25.23

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-34.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.35 MX$23.39

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-31.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.03 MX$17.89

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-54.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.93 MX$16.11

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

-11.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 MX$14.06

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

2.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.97 MX$68.7

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

24.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.69 MX$150

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-63.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 MX$24.43

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-51.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 MX$27.69

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

-42.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 MX$10.72

$0.27 Rp 4,813

129.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.05 MX$18.10

$0.45 Rp 8,167

133.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.42 MX$24.56

$0.46 Rp 8,298

208.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.10 MX$53.6

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

-48.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 MX$22.78

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

53.49%

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

$18.4K MX$318.1K

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

-30.84%

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

$18.3K MX$316.6K

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

-43.78%

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

$48.12 MX$833

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-39.10%

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

$16.83 MX$291

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

311.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$25.55 MX$442

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

7.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.12 MX$435

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-74.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.66 MX$271

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

146.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 MX$73.8

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

6.23%

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

$179 MX$3,102

$297 Rp 5.4M

-39.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,604 MX$45.1K

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

-60.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.96 MX$743

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

-19.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$16.14 MX$279

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-57.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 MX$1,150

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-25.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.0 MX$935

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-29.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$466 MX$8,057

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-54.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$426 MX$7,377

$680 Rp 12.3M

-37.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$778 MX$13.5K

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

-77.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$638 MX$11.0K

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

-69.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$741 MX$12.8K

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

-72.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$740 MX$12.8K

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

-67.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.24

13.28

-15.36%

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

Last update for Chapala: July 28, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $466 in Chapala versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. 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 $34.00 in Chapala versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $217 in Chapala vs $298 in Ubud, Bali – so Chapala 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

Chapala vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 37% more than Chapala, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,529 per month in Chapala and $2,088 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $34.00 in Chapala and $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chapala, where all-in costs run around $1,019, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In Chapala it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Chapala costs $1,019 versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Chapala. 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.