Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad del Carmen and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Ciudad del Carmen and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,127 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,783 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $2,588 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,439 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $3,778 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Ciudad del Carmen costs roughly 19% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ciudad del Carmen is 16% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.43 MX$181

$3.43 Rp 61.4K

204.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.10 MX$680

$31.97 Rp 572.4K

22.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.13 MX$141

$5.05 Rp 90.4K

60.99%

Cappuccino

$3.37 MX$58.6

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

24.35%

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

$1.29 MX$22.53

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

-7.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.98 MX$17.11

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

32.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.40 MX$41.70

$2.89 Rp 51.8K

-16.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 MX$68.5

$3.79 Rp 67.9K

3.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.50 MX$26.11

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

-16.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 MX$43.89

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

0.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.57 MX$27.40

$1.21 Rp 21.7K

29.75%

Eggs

$2.32 MX$40.32

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

-2.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.14 MX$142

$14.43 Rp 258.4K

-43.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.06 MX$140

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

94.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.63 MX$185

$12.11 Rp 216.9K

-12.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.66 MX$46.35

$3.77 Rp 67.5K

-29.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.44 MX$25.03

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

-11.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MX$30.78

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

-34.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.89

$2.26 Rp 40.4K

-29.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 MX$31.79

$1.93 Rp 34.5K

-5.18%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$34.94

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

-8.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MX$20.90

$1.02 Rp 18.2K

17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.97 MX$16.93

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

34.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 MX$73.0

$3.18 Rp 57.0K

32.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.55 MX$218

$23.84 Rp 426.8K

-47.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.62 MX$28.14

$2.77 Rp 49.7K

-41.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 MX$48.36

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

1.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.42

$0.27 Rp 4,786

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.20 Rp 146.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.53 MX$43.98

$0.48 Rp 8,653

427.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.60 MX$27.77

$0.42 Rp 7,545

280.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 MX$146

$6.03 Rp 107.9K

39.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 MX$21.92

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

53.66%

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

$20.8K MX$362.2K

$26.6K Rp 475.6M

-21.65%

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

$22.6K MX$393.8K

$32.2K Rp 576.6M

-29.72%

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

$56.4 MX$981

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

-27.92%

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

$21.89 MX$381

$3.91 Rp 70.1K

459.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.81 MX$484

$23.91 Rp 428.2K

16.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.92 MX$625

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

-62.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.63 MX$272

$6.53 Rp 116.8K

139.36%

Cinema Ticket

$4.58 MX$79.7

$4.01 Rp 71.9K

14.21%

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

$209 MX$3,644

$303 Rp 5.4M

-30.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,647 MX$63.5K

$6,551 Rp 117.3M

-44.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 MX$925

$55.3 Rp 990.4K

-3.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.13 MX$698

$38.32 Rp 686.1K

4.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 MX$1,571

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

2.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 MX$1,355

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

1.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 MX$8,794

$986 Rp 17.6M

-48.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$394 MX$6,862

$682 Rp 12.2M

-42.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$930 MX$16.2K

$3,420 Rp 61.2M

-72.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 MX$13.1K

$2,075 Rp 37.1M

-63.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,780 MX$31.0K

$2,762 Rp 49.5M

-35.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,101 MX$19.2K

$2,243 Rp 40.2M

-50.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

13.28

-13.55%

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

Last update for Ciudad del Carmen: July 21, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in Ciudad del Carmen and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ciudad del Carmen vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $254 vs $298, with Ciudad del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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

Ciudad del Carmen vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ciudad del Carmen and Ubud, Bali differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,127 vs $1,397 including rent). Ciudad del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,690 in Ciudad del Carmen and $2,096 in Ubud, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $505 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,127 per month in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,127 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ciudad del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Ciudad del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ciudad del Carmen and Ubud, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ciudad del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.