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: $1,126 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,784 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,442 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Ciudad del Carmen costs roughly 21% 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 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.67 MX$186

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

199.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 MX$674

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

17.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.97 MX$139

$4.95 Rp 89.3K

61.01%

Cappuccino

$3.27 MX$57.1

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

20.66%

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

$1.28 MX$22.40

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

-4.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.64

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 MX$42.60

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

-16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.84 MX$67.1

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

-3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 MX$25.70

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

-18.78%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 MX$43.98

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.09

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

38.79%

Eggs

$2.29 MX$39.95

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

-6.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.17 MX$143

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

-44.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.84 MX$137

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

81.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.38 MX$181

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

-14.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.63 MX$45.85

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

-31.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 MX$25.00

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 MX$30.78

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

-37.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 MX$28.08

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

-30.90%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 MX$33.55

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

0.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.01 MX$35.16

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

-8.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.25 MX$21.79

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

23.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 MX$17.95

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

32.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 MX$74.9

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

29.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.39 MX$164

$23.74 Rp 428.1K

-60.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 MX$27.79

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-43.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 MX$47.47

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

-4.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.66 MX$11.48

$0.27 Rp 4,848

144.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 MX$45.55

$0.46 Rp 8,231

467.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.56 MX$27.21

$0.45 Rp 8,117

246.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.28 MX$145

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

35.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 MX$22.20

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

60.76%

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

$21.5K MX$375.3K

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

-17.82%

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

$22.2K MX$387.6K

$32.1K Rp 579.3M

-30.91%

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

$55.9 MX$977

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-30.05%

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

$22.36 MX$390

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

450.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.76 MX$485

$23.52 Rp 424.2K

18.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.16 MX$631

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-63.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.99 MX$279

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

141.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.72 MX$82.5

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

13.73%

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

$208 MX$3,631

$304 Rp 5.5M

-31.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,647 MX$63.7K

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

-44.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.4 MX$915

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

-5.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.89 MX$679

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

1.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 MX$1,549

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

0.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.8 MX$1,411

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

3.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 MX$8,750

$1,006 Rp 18.2M

-50.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$401 MX$7,007

$675 Rp 12.2M

-40.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$950 MX$16.6K

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

-72.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$755 MX$13.2K

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

-62.98%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,055 MX$35.9K

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

-27.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,172 MX$20.5K

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

-48.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $501 in Ciudad del Carmen and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ciudad del Carmen vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $246 vs $302, 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 26% in total monthly costs ($1,126 vs $1,419 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 $2,129 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: $501 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,126 per month in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,126 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,419 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 26% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.