🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,121 in Lazaro Cardenas versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,771 in Lazaro Cardenas versus $2,582 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,422 in Lazaro Cardenas versus $3,757 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Living in Lazaro Cardenas costs roughly 20% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Lazaro Cardenas is 16% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$10.42MX$181
$3.42Rp 58.7K
204.68%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.63MX$669
$32.96Rp 566.5K
17.20%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.03MX$139
$5.08Rp 87.3K
58.07%
Cappuccino
$3.39MX$58.8
$2.82Rp 48.5K
20.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.28MX$22.24
$1.37Rp 23.5K
-6.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.97MX$16.82
$0.71Rp 12.2K
36.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.34MX$40.59
$2.97Rp 51.0K
-21.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.86MX$66.9
$3.91Rp 67.2K
-1.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.44MX$24.99
$1.75Rp 30.0K
-17.71%
White Bread(500g)
$2.55MX$44.24
$2.52Rp 43.2K
1.19%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.63MX$28.16
$1.21Rp 20.8K
34.71%
Eggs
$2.37MX$41.14
$2.33Rp 40.1K
1.72%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$7.97MX$138
$14.50Rp 249.2K
-45.03%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.73MX$134
$4.36Rp 74.9K
77.29%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.44MX$181
$12.05Rp 207.0K
-13.36%
Apples(1kg)
$2.67MX$46.25
$3.82Rp 65.6K
-30.10%
Banana(1kg)
$1.43MX$24.82
$1.61Rp 27.7K
-11.18%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.72MX$29.86
$2.70Rp 46.5K
-36.30%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.61MX$27.83
$2.23Rp 38.3K
-27.80%
Potato(1kg)
$1.85MX$32.12
$1.90Rp 32.6K
-2.63%
Onion(1kg)
$2.00MX$34.70
$2.18Rp 37.5K
-8.26%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.25MX$21.71
$1.03Rp 17.7K
21.36%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.02MX$17.61
$0.77Rp 13.3K
32.47%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.15MX$71.9
$3.18Rp 54.7K
30.50%
Wine(Bottle)
$10.87MX$188
$23.23Rp 399.2K
-53.21%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.55MX$26.88
$2.85Rp 48.9K
-45.61%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.83MX$48.99
$2.72Rp 46.7K
4.04%
🚌 Getting Around
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.60MX$10.43
$0.29Rp 5,022
106.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$8.43Rp 144.8K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.63MX$45.54
$0.49Rp 8,344
436.73%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.59MX$27.62
$0.45Rp 7,812
253.33%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.44MX$146
$6.28Rp 107.8K
34.39%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33MX$22.98
$0.85Rp 14.6K
56.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.2KMX$366.9K
$26.1KRp 447.8M
-18.74%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.9KMX$396.5K
$31.5KRp 541.8M
-27.42%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$55.5MX$963
$79.8Rp 1.4M
-30.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$21.88MX$379
$4.09Rp 70.3K
434.96%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$28.23MX$489
$24.06Rp 413.6K
17.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$35.42MX$614
$96.2Rp 1.7M
-63.18%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.85MX$275
$6.53Rp 112.2K
142.73%
Cinema Ticket
$4.64MX$80.5
$4.13Rp 71.1K
12.35%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$210MX$3,646
$297Rp 5.1M
-29.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,606MX$62.5K
$6,661Rp 114.5M
-45.86%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$53.5MX$928
$55.0Rp 944.5K
-2.58%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.20MX$679
$38.75Rp 666.0K
1.16%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.8MX$1,539
$89.6Rp 1.5M
-0.93%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.8MX$1,366
$78.9Rp 1.4M
-0.09%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$517MX$8,966
$1,018Rp 17.5M
-49.19%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$394MX$6,820
$660Rp 11.3M
-40.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$949MX$16.4K
$3,435Rp 59.0M
-72.38%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$749MX$13.0K
$2,053Rp 35.3M
-63.51%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,037MX$35.3K
$2,981Rp 51.2M
-31.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,271MX$22.0K
$2,368Rp 40.7M
-46.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$581MX$10.1K
$172Rp 3.0M
237.42%
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 Lazaro Cardenas: April 21, 2026
Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $517 in Lazaro Cardenas and $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lazaro Cardenas pays 237% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $39 in Lazaro Cardenas vs $33 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $249 vs $299, with Lazaro Cardenas 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
Lazaro Cardenas vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Lazaro Cardenas or Ubud, Bali?
Lazaro Cardenas wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lazaro Cardenas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Lazaro Cardenas or Ubud, Bali?
Lazaro Cardenas pays 237% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Lazaro Cardenas vs Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $517 in Lazaro Cardenas versus $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Lazaro Cardenas and Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $210 in Lazaro Cardenas versus $297 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Lazaro Cardenas vs Ubud, Bali?
Dining out is cheaper in Lazaro Cardenas – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Lazaro Cardenas or Ubud, Bali?
At $1,121 in Lazaro Cardenas versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lazaro Cardenas but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Lazaro Cardenas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Lazaro Cardenas or Ubud, Bali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Lazaro Cardenas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,121 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Lazaro Cardenas hard to pass up.
How safe is Lazaro Cardenas compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Lazaro Cardenas 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 more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Lazaro Cardenas 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.
Lazaro Cardenas vs other spots: cost of living compared