🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,100 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,758 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $2,582 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,415 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $3,757 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Living in Ciudad del Carmen costs roughly 22% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ciudad del Carmen is 18% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ciudad del Carmen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.60MX$184
$3.42Rp 58.7K
209.94%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.27MX$663
$32.96Rp 566.5K
16.11%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.01MX$139
$5.08Rp 87.3K
57.68%
Cappuccino
$3.37MX$58.5
$2.82Rp 48.5K
19.50%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28MX$22.17
$1.37Rp 23.5K
-6.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.90MX$15.53
$0.71Rp 12.2K
26.76%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.31MX$40.11
$2.97Rp 51.0K
-22.22%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.93MX$68.1
$3.91Rp 67.2K
0.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ciudad del Carmen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.49MX$25.87
$1.75Rp 30.0K
-14.86%
White Bread(500g)
$2.64MX$45.74
$2.52Rp 43.2K
4.76%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.90
$1.21Rp 20.8K
33.06%
Eggs
$2.33MX$40.35
$2.33Rp 40.1K
-
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.19MX$142
$14.50Rp 249.2K
-43.52%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.75MX$134
$4.36Rp 74.9K
77.75%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.50MX$182
$12.05Rp 207.0K
-12.86%
Apples(1kg)
$2.62MX$45.47
$3.82Rp 65.6K
-31.41%
Banana(1kg)
$1.44MX$25.00
$1.61Rp 27.7K
-10.56%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.71MX$29.55
$2.70Rp 46.5K
-36.67%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59MX$27.49
$2.23Rp 38.3K
-28.70%
Potato(1kg)
$1.91MX$33.10
$1.90Rp 32.6K
0.53%
Onion(1kg)
$1.95MX$33.84
$2.18Rp 37.5K
-10.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.20MX$20.75
$1.03Rp 17.7K
16.50%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99MX$17.07
$0.77Rp 13.3K
28.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.28MX$74.2
$3.18Rp 54.7K
34.59%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.29MX$213
$23.23Rp 399.2K
-47.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.54MX$26.67
$2.85Rp 48.9K
-45.96%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81MX$48.71
$2.72Rp 46.7K
3.31%
🚌 Getting Around
Ciudad del Carmen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.66MX$11.44
$0.29Rp 5,022
127.59%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$8.43Rp 144.8K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.66MX$46.11
$0.49Rp 8,344
442.86%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.61MX$27.84
$0.45Rp 7,812
257.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.07MX$140
$6.28Rp 107.8K
28.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$21.99
$0.85Rp 14.6K
49.41%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.3KMX$368.4K
$26.1KRp 447.8M
-18.43%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.2KMX$384.0K
$31.5KRp 541.8M
-29.72%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ciudad del Carmen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$56.0MX$971
$79.8Rp 1.4M
-29.76%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.33MX$387
$4.09Rp 70.3K
445.97%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.70MX$497
$24.06Rp 413.6K
19.29%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ciudad del Carmen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.65MX$618
$96.2Rp 1.7M
-62.94%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.65MX$271
$6.53Rp 112.2K
139.66%
Cinema Ticket
$4.53MX$78.5
$4.13Rp 71.1K
9.69%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ciudad del Carmen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$203MX$3,512
$297Rp 5.1M
-31.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,642MX$63.1K
$6,661Rp 114.5M
-45.32%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ciudad del Carmen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.2MX$922
$55.0Rp 944.5K
-3.20%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.33MX$682
$38.75Rp 666.0K
1.50%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$89.2MX$1,546
$89.6Rp 1.5M
-0.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$79.4MX$1,376
$78.9Rp 1.4M
0.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ciudad del Carmen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$499MX$8,648
$1,018Rp 17.5M
-51.00%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$399MX$6,910
$660Rp 11.3M
-39.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$916MX$15.9K
$3,435Rp 59.0M
-73.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$778MX$13.5K
$2,053Rp 35.3M
-62.12%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,152MX$37.3K
$2,981Rp 51.2M
-27.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,172MX$20.3K
$2,368Rp 40.7M
-50.51%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ciudad del Carmen
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$172Rp 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: April 20, 2026
Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $499 in Ciudad del Carmen and $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $38 in Ciudad del Carmen vs $33 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $253 vs $299, 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
What is the total cost difference between living in Ciudad del Carmen and Ubud, Bali?
Ciudad del Carmen and Ubud, Bali differ by about 28% in total monthly costs ($1,100 vs $1,408 including rent). Ciudad del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Ciudad del Carmen compared to Ubud, Bali?
You'd need roughly $1,651 in Ciudad del Carmen and $2,112 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Ciudad del Carmen and Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $499 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ciudad del Carmen or Ubud, Bali?
All in, you'll spend $1,100 per month in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 28% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,100 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,408 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.
How does quality of life compare between Ciudad del Carmen and Ubud, Bali?
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.
Is Ciudad del Carmen or Ubud, Bali safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Ciudad del Carmen or Ubud, Bali?
Expats usually find Ciudad del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 28% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Ciudad del Carmen vs other spots: cost of living compared