🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,116 in Lazaro Cardenas versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,760 in Lazaro Cardenas versus $2,588 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,403 in Lazaro Cardenas versus $3,778 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
$10.41MX$181
$3.43Rp 61.4K
203.50%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$39.29MX$684
$31.97Rp 572.4K
22.90%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.06MX$140
$5.05Rp 90.4K
59.60%
Cappuccino
$3.35MX$58.2
$2.71Rp 48.6K
23.62%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.23MX$21.49
$1.39Rp 24.9K
-11.51%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.96MX$16.79
$0.74Rp 13.3K
29.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.39MX$41.59
$2.89Rp 51.8K
-17.30%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.99MX$69.4
$3.79Rp 67.9K
5.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.45MX$25.19
$1.79Rp 32.1K
-18.99%
White Bread(500g)
$2.55MX$44.43
$2.51Rp 44.9K
1.59%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.61MX$28.01
$1.21Rp 21.7K
33.06%
Eggs
$2.40MX$41.82
$2.37Rp 42.4K
1.27%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$8.06MX$140
$14.43Rp 258.4K
-44.14%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.05MX$140
$4.15Rp 74.3K
93.98%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.66MX$185
$12.11Rp 216.9K
-11.97%
Apples(1kg)
$2.57MX$44.73
$3.77Rp 67.5K
-31.83%
Banana(1kg)
$1.43MX$24.92
$1.63Rp 29.1K
-12.27%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.77MX$30.72
$2.71Rp 48.5K
-34.69%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59MX$27.75
$2.26Rp 40.4K
-29.65%
Potato(1kg)
$1.91MX$33.16
$1.93Rp 34.5K
-1.04%
Onion(1kg)
$2.01MX$34.96
$2.19Rp 39.3K
-8.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.26MX$21.84
$1.02Rp 18.2K
23.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.99MX$17.17
$0.72Rp 12.8K
37.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.16MX$72.4
$3.18Rp 57.0K
30.82%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.08MX$193
$23.84Rp 426.8K
-53.52%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.56MX$27.23
$2.77Rp 49.7K
-43.68%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.81MX$48.95
$2.75Rp 49.3K
2.18%
🚌 Getting Around
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.65MX$11.37
$0.27Rp 4,786
140.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$8.20Rp 146.8K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.65MX$46.06
$0.48Rp 8,653
452.08%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.60MX$27.87
$0.42Rp 7,545
280.95%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$8.07MX$140
$6.03Rp 107.9K
33.83%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.27MX$22.01
$0.82Rp 14.7K
54.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4KMX$371.6K
$26.6KRp 475.6M
-19.61%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.0KMX$383.4K
$32.2KRp 576.6M
-31.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$55.8MX$971
$78.3Rp 1.4M
-28.68%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.27MX$388
$3.91Rp 70.1K
469.57%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.79MX$484
$23.91Rp 428.2K
16.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.16MX$629
$96.2Rp 1.7M
-62.40%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.72MX$274
$6.53Rp 116.8K
140.74%
Cinema Ticket
$4.59MX$79.9
$4.01Rp 71.9K
14.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$209MX$3,645
$303Rp 5.4M
-30.77%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,642MX$63.4K
$6,551Rp 117.3M
-44.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.3MX$909
$55.3Rp 990.4K
-5.53%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$40.37MX$702
$38.32Rp 686.1K
5.35%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$88.1MX$1,533
$88.5Rp 1.6M
-0.41%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.8MX$1,372
$76.7Rp 1.4M
2.74%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$505MX$8,795
$986Rp 17.6M
-48.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$400MX$6,956
$682Rp 12.2M
-41.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$917MX$16.0K
$3,420Rp 61.2M
-73.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$748MX$13.0K
$2,075Rp 37.1M
-63.95%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,901MX$33.1K
$2,762Rp 49.5M
-31.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,235MX$21.5K
$2,243Rp 40.2M
-44.92%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lazaro Cardenas
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$581MX$10.1K
$169Rp 3.0M
244.54%
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: July 21, 2026
Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 22, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $505 in Lazaro Cardenas and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
💰Lazaro Cardenas pays 245% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.
🛒Dining out: $39.00 in Lazaro Cardenas vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $251 vs $298, 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 25% 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 in Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 245% higher in Lazaro Cardenas, 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 compared to Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $505 in Lazaro Cardenas versus $986 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 in Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $209 in Lazaro Cardenas versus $303 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 and in Ubud, Bali?
Dining out is cheaper in Lazaro Cardenas – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $32.00 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 in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,116 in Lazaro Cardenas versus $1,397 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 $1,116 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 25% 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