Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla Mujeres and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Isla Mujeres and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,108 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,744 in Isla Mujeres versus $2,588 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,381 in Isla Mujeres versus $3,778 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Isla Mujeres costs roughly 21% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Isla Mujeres is 17% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Isla Mujeres
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.70 MX$186
$3.43 Rp 61.4K
211.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.02 MX$679
$31.97 Rp 572.4K
22.05%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.75 MX$135
$5.05 Rp 90.4K
53.47%
Cappuccino
$3.22 MX$56.1
$2.71 Rp 48.6K
18.82%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.24 MX$21.64
$1.39 Rp 24.9K
-10.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.91 MX$15.77
$0.74 Rp 13.3K
22.97%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.20 MX$38.20
$2.89 Rp 51.8K
-23.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.84 MX$66.8
$3.79 Rp 67.9K
1.32%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Isla Mujeres
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 MX$26.09
$1.79 Rp 32.1K
-16.20%
White Bread (500g)
$2.55 MX$44.41
$2.51 Rp 44.9K
1.59%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.55 MX$26.95
$1.21 Rp 21.7K
28.10%
Eggs
$2.31 MX$40.12
$2.37 Rp 42.4K
-2.53%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$8.07 MX$140
$14.43 Rp 258.4K
-44.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$7.86 MX$137
$4.15 Rp 74.3K
89.40%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.67 MX$186
$12.11 Rp 216.9K
-11.89%
Apples (1kg)
$2.66 MX$46.29
$3.77 Rp 67.5K
-29.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 MX$24.50
$1.63 Rp 29.1K
-13.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.77 MX$30.74
$2.71 Rp 48.5K
-34.69%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.70 MX$29.55
$2.26 Rp 40.4K
-24.78%
Potato (1kg)
$1.85 MX$32.26
$1.93 Rp 34.5K
-4.15%
Onion (1kg)
$1.99 MX$34.66
$2.19 Rp 39.3K
-9.13%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.26 MX$22.01
$1.02 Rp 18.2K
23.53%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02 MX$17.78
$0.72 Rp 12.8K
41.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.08 MX$71.0
$3.18 Rp 57.0K
28.30%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.77 MX$187
$23.84 Rp 426.8K
-54.82%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61 MX$28.03
$2.77 Rp 49.7K
-41.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 MX$48.22
$2.75 Rp 49.3K
0.73%
🚌 Getting Around
Isla Mujeres
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.64 MX$11.17
$0.27 Rp 4,786
137.04%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$8.20 Rp 146.8K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.53 MX$44.06
$0.48 Rp 8,653
427.08%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 MX$26.86
$0.42 Rp 7,545
266.67%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$8.41 MX$146
$6.03 Rp 107.9K
39.47%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.30 MX$22.69
$0.82 Rp 14.7K
58.54%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$20.9K MX$363.5K
$26.6K Rp 475.6M
-21.37%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.4K MX$389.4K
$32.2K Rp 576.6M
-30.51%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Isla Mujeres
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$56.4 MX$981
$78.3 Rp 1.4M
-27.96%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.12 MX$385
$3.91 Rp 70.1K
465.73%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.47 MX$495
$23.91 Rp 428.2K
19.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Isla Mujeres
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$36.56 MX$636
$96.2 Rp 1.7M
-61.99%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.78 MX$275
$6.53 Rp 116.8K
141.65%
Cinema Ticket
$4.50 MX$78.2
$4.01 Rp 71.9K
12.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Isla Mujeres
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$206 MX$3,590
$303 Rp 5.4M
-31.82%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$3,620 MX$63.0K
$6,551 Rp 117.3M
-44.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Isla Mujeres
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.4 MX$911
$55.3 Rp 990.4K
-5.30%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.31 MX$701
$38.32 Rp 686.1K
5.19%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$91.7 MX$1,595
$88.5 Rp 1.6M
3.61%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.2 MX$1,360
$76.7 Rp 1.4M
1.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Isla Mujeres
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$514 MX$8,951
$986 Rp 17.6M
-47.81%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$391 MX$6,807
$682 Rp 12.2M
-42.65%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$928 MX$16.2K
$3,420 Rp 61.2M
-72.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$758 MX$13.2K
$2,075 Rp 37.1M
-63.44%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,761 MX$30.6K
$2,762 Rp 49.5M
-36.24%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,153 MX$20.1K
$2,243 Rp 40.2M
-48.58%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Isla Mujeres
Ubud, Bali
Difference
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 Isla Mujeres: July 20, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $514 in Isla Mujeres and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Isla Mujeres vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $298, with Isla Mujeres 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
Isla Mujeres vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Isla Mujeres and in Ubud, Bali?
Isla Mujeres and Ubud, Bali differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,108 vs $1,397 including rent). Isla Mujeres is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Isla Mujeres compared to Ubud, Bali?
You'd need roughly $1,662 in Isla Mujeres 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.
How do apartment prices compare in Isla Mujeres and in Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $514 in Isla Mujeres versus $986 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 19% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Isla Mujeres or Ubud, Bali?
All in, you'll spend $1,108 per month in Isla Mujeres versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali – a 26% 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 $1,108 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Isla Mujeres but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Isla Mujeres the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Isla Mujeres 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 Isla Mujeres or Ubud, Bali safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Isla Mujeres 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: Isla Mujeres or Ubud, Bali?
Expats usually find Isla Mujeres 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.

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