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: $1,113 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,743 in Isla Mujeres versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,374 in Isla Mujeres versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Isla Mujeres costs roughly 20% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Isla Mujeres is 19% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.49 MX$177

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

211.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.49 MX$650

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

-0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 MX$132

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

41.49%

Cappuccino

$3.21 MX$54.2

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

21.59%

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

$1.29 MX$21.76

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

-22.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 MX$15.14

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

16.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.17 MX$36.67

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

-17.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 MX$66.8

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

-7.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$24.42

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

-6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.62 MX$44.27

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

18.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.56 MX$26.42

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

38.05%

Eggs

$2.29 MX$38.59

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

9.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.06 MX$136

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

-53.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.66 MX$129

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

97.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.64 MX$180

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

-15.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 MX$43.56

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

-28.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 MX$23.36

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

-11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.77 MX$29.89

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

-24.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 MX$27.77

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

-20.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 MX$31.19

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

-2.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 MX$32.61

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-17.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.20 MX$20.32

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

16.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 MX$16.57

$0.55 Rp 9,780

78.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 MX$70.1

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

84.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.01 MX$186

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

-53.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.56 MX$26.27

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

-32.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 MX$47.87

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

1.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 MX$10.45

$0.27 Rp 4,802

129.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 MX$44.40

$0.48 Rp 8,489

447.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 MX$25.95

$0.45 Rp 7,864

242.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.40 MX$142

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

46.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 MX$21.16

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

64.47%

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

$20.8K MX$351.9K

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

-14.87%

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

$22.6K MX$381.0K

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

-29.74%

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

$56.7 MX$958

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-32.12%

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

$22.16 MX$374

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

243.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.44 MX$480

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

49.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.49 MX$616

$56.0 Rp 986.9K

-34.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.79 MX$267

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

-15.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.76 MX$80.3

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

11.21%

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

$209 MX$3,536

$487 Rp 8.6M

-56.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,661 MX$61.8K

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

-37.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.9 MX$894

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

16.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.40 MX$682

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

11.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 MX$1,508

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

8.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 MX$1,341

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-1.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$512 MX$8,637

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-54.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 MX$6,801

$701 Rp 12.4M

-42.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$949 MX$16.0K

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

-73.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$756 MX$12.8K

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

-57.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,759 MX$29.7K

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

-37.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,155 MX$19.5K

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

-49.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.48

13.78

-16.69%

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

Last update for Isla Mujeres: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $512 in Isla Mujeres and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $38.00 in Isla Mujeres vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $248 vs $293 per month, with Isla Mujeres cheaper across the board.

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

Isla Mujeres and Ubud, Bali differ by about 26% in total monthly costs ($1,113 vs $1,396 including rent). Isla Mujeres is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,669 in Isla Mujeres and $2,095 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: $512 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,113 per month in Isla Mujeres versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,113 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,396 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.

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, 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.

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.