Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Mexico City and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,456 in Mexico City versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,361 in Mexico City versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,266 in Mexico City versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Mexico City is roughly 3% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Mexico City 9% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.07 MX$228

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

278.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$936

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

66.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.68 MX$169

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

100.00%

Cappuccino

$3.74 MX$65.1

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

36.00%

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

$1.62 MX$28.13

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.16 MX$20.23

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

54.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.23 MX$56.2

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

8.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.74 MX$82.5

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

23.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 MX$28.68

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

-5.17%

White Bread (500g)

$2.75 MX$47.95

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

11.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 MX$32.63

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

59.83%

Eggs

$2.50 MX$43.54

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

2.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.20 MX$178

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

-29.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.25 MX$144

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

89.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 MX$206

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

-1.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 MX$52.4

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

-19.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 MX$31.54

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

11.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.81

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

-27.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.74

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-10.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.08 MX$36.30

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

8.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.56

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

-0.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.46 MX$25.36

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

37.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.74

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.35 MX$75.7

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

32.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.99 MX$296

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

-26.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 MX$30.18

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-37.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 MX$62.3

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

31.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.39 MX$6.74

$0.27 Rp 4,786

44.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.69 MX$325

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

130.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.33 MX$23.08

$0.48 Rp 8,675

177.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 MX$4.87

$0.42 Rp 7,545

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.25 MX$91.5

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

-15.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.27

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

65.43%

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

$19.4K MX$338.0K

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

-27.06%

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

$23.8K MX$415.0K

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

-25.96%

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

$40.69 MX$709

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-48.07%

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

$26.87 MX$468

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

560.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.51 MX$531

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

25.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.8 MX$919

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-46.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.65 MX$464

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

320.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.51 MX$113

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

63.16%

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

$428 MX$7,454

$305 Rp 5.5M

40.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.5K MX$182.8K

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

58.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 MX$997

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

5.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.50 MX$792

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

20.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$104 MX$1,812

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

19.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 MX$1,878

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

41.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 MX$17.5K

$992 Rp 17.8M

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 MX$10.8K

$673 Rp 12.1M

-7.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,109 MX$36.7K

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

-37.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,218 MX$21.2K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-40.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,885 MX$67.6K

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

38.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,033 MX$35.4K

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

-8.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,038 MX$18.1K

$167 Rp 3.0M

521.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.34

13.28

-14.61%

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

Last update for Mexico City: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,003 in Mexico City and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 522% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $54.0 in Mexico City vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $297, with Mexico City 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

Mexico City vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Mexico City and Ubud, Bali differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,456 vs $1,408 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 522% higher in Mexico City, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,003 in Mexico City versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 130% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $428 in Mexico City versus $305 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,456 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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, Mexico City 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.