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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $994 in Cuernavaca versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,697 in Cuernavaca versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,399 in Cuernavaca versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Cuernavaca costs roughly 29% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cuernavaca is 25% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Cuernavaca
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$9.86 MX$172
$3.57 Rp 64.6K
176.19%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$37.73 MX$658
$32.32 Rp 584.4K
16.74%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.00 MX$122
$5.01 Rp 90.5K
39.72%
Cappuccino
$2.34 MX$40.90
$2.82 Rp 51.1K
-17.02%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.32 MX$22.98
$1.35 Rp 24.4K
-2.22%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.74 MX$12.83
$0.73 Rp 13.2K
1.37%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.27 MX$39.63
$2.93 Rp 53.0K
-22.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.09 MX$53.9
$3.94 Rp 71.2K
-21.57%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cuernavaca
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 MX$26.75
$1.78 Rp 32.2K
-14.04%
White Bread (500g)
$1.78 MX$31.01
$2.45 Rp 44.3K
-27.35%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.38 MX$24.07
$1.15 Rp 20.8K
20.00%
Eggs
$1.81 MX$31.55
$2.41 Rp 43.7K
-24.90%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.16 MX$142
$14.33 Rp 259.1K
-43.06%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.31 MX$110
$4.19 Rp 75.7K
50.60%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.15 MX$229
$12.06 Rp 218.1K
9.04%
Apples (1kg)
$2.11 MX$36.88
$3.64 Rp 65.8K
-42.03%
Banana (1kg)
$1.27 MX$22.24
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
-19.11%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.74 MX$30.29
$2.79 Rp 50.4K
-37.63%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.56 MX$27.27
$2.24 Rp 40.5K
-30.36%
Potato (1kg)
$1.79 MX$31.30
$1.98 Rp 35.8K
-9.60%
Onion (1kg)
$1.87 MX$32.64
$2.28 Rp 41.2K
-17.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.98 MX$17.01
$1.05 Rp 19.1K
-6.67%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.72 MX$12.56
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
-8.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.21 MX$73.5
$3.19 Rp 57.7K
31.97%
Wine (Bottle)
$8.59 MX$150
$23.49 Rp 424.8K
-63.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.14 MX$19.93
$2.90 Rp 52.4K
-60.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.85 MX$49.79
$2.76 Rp 49.8K
3.26%
🚌 Getting Around
Cuernavaca
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.55 MX$9.55
$0.27 Rp 4,821
103.70%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$26.91 MX$469
$8.37 Rp 151.3K
221.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.87 MX$32.68
$0.45 Rp 8,180
315.56%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.20 MX$20.94
$0.46 Rp 8,311
160.87%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$9.38 MX$164
$6.07 Rp 109.7K
54.53%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 MX$21.41
$0.86 Rp 15.6K
43.02%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$18.4K MX$320.1K
$26.6K Rp 480.7M
-30.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.8K MX$363.4K
$32.5K Rp 588.6M
-35.99%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cuernavaca
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$60.4 MX$1,053
$79.0 Rp 1.4M
-23.59%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.92 MX$400
$4.09 Rp 74.0K
460.39%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.54 MX$498
$23.85 Rp 431.2K
19.66%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cuernavaca
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$22.81 MX$398
$98.8 Rp 1.8M
-76.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.71 MX$274
$6.35 Rp 114.9K
147.40%
Cinema Ticket
$5.15 MX$89.8
$4.01 Rp 72.5K
28.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cuernavaca
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$208 MX$3,626
$297 Rp 5.4M
-30.06%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,854 MX$84.7K
$6,602 Rp 119.4M
-26.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cuernavaca
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$47.44 MX$827
$53.4 Rp 966.0K
-11.21%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.16 MX$700
$38.11 Rp 689.2K
5.38%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$97.9 MX$1,707
$88.7 Rp 1.6M
10.40%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$83.8 MX$1,462
$76.6 Rp 1.4M
9.40%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cuernavaca
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$371 MX$6,477
$1,020 Rp 18.4M
-63.58%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$317 MX$5,533
$680 Rp 12.3M
-53.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$917 MX$16.0K
$3,469 Rp 62.7M
-73.58%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$791 MX$13.8K
$2,090 Rp 37.8M
-62.14%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$925 MX$16.1K
$2,729 Rp 49.3M
-66.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$644 MX$11.2K
$2,295 Rp 41.5M
-71.95%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cuernavaca
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$681 MX$11.9K
$164 Rp 3.0M
315.82%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
11.33
13.28
-14.68%

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

Last update for Cuernavaca: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $371 in Cuernavaca and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cuernavaca pays 316% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $38.00 in Cuernavaca vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $298, with Cuernavaca 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
Cuernavaca vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Ubud, Bali cheaper than Cuernavaca?
Cuernavaca is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Sport & Entertainment. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Cuernavaca or Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 316% higher in Cuernavaca, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Cuernavaca and Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $371 in Cuernavaca versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Cuernavaca and in Ubud, Bali?
Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Cuernavaca or in Ubud, Bali?
Dining out is cheaper in Cuernavaca – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Cuernavaca or in Ubud, Bali?
At $994 in Cuernavaca versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cuernavaca but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cuernavaca the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Is Cuernavaca or Ubud, Bali more family-friendly?
For families, Cuernavaca is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Cuernavaca or Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Cuernavaca 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.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Cuernavaca gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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