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: $1,229 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,989 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,748 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Ciudad del Carmen costs roughly 11% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ciudad del Carmen is 11% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.61 MX$197

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

248.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.78 MX$811

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

33.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.17 MX$156

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

62.88%

Cappuccino

$3.84 MX$65.2

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

36.17%

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

$1.50 MX$25.45

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 MX$18.46

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

36.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 MX$50.6

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

-1.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 MX$72.8

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

-0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 MX$29.96

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 MX$48.74

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

26.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 MX$30.39

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

52.99%

Eggs

$2.56 MX$43.45

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

17.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.05 MX$154

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-48.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 MX$156

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

127.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.43 MX$211

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$2.86 MX$48.51

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-20.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 MX$27.17

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

-2.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 MX$35.74

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

-8.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 MX$33.38

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

0.51%

Potato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$36.28

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

16.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.97 MX$33.38

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-16.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$25.05

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

40.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.17 MX$19.78

$0.54 Rp 9,560

116.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.70 MX$79.7

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

104.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 MX$197

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-49.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 MX$34.02

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-14.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 MX$57.9

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

11.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 MX$11.69

$0.25 Rp 4,365

176.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.81 MX$47.69

$0.49 Rp 8,631

473.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.10 MX$35.67

$0.47 Rp 8,349

346.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.59 MX$197

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

106.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$26.65

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

93.83%

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

$22.7K MX$384.8K

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

-9.34%

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

$25.9K MX$439.6K

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

-16.63%

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

$61.7 MX$1,047

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

-25.42%

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

$24.16 MX$410

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

272.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.86 MX$541

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

69.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.45 MX$619

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-34.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.72 MX$369

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

19.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.57 MX$94.6

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

29.53%

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

$244 MX$4,138

$494 Rp 8.7M

-50.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,028 MX$85.3K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

-15.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.5 MX$993

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

26.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.48 MX$755

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

22.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$108 MX$1,827

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

33.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.9 MX$1,560

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

16.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 MX$10.8K

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-42.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$417 MX$7,081

$693 Rp 12.2M

-39.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,129 MX$19.2K

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-68.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$808 MX$13.7K

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-52.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,012 MX$34.1K

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

-27.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,255 MX$21.3K

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

-45.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.3

13.78

-18.00%

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

Last update for Ciudad del Carmen: September 5, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $639 in Ciudad del Carmen and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $48.00 in Ciudad del Carmen vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $287 vs $294, 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 12% in total monthly costs ($1,229 vs $1,378 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 $1,844 in Ciudad del Carmen and $2,067 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: $639 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,229 per month in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,229 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,378 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 12% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.