Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Monterrey and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,601 in Monterrey versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Monterrey versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,568 in Monterrey versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Monterrey is roughly 13% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monterrey 20% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.01 MX$226

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

265.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 MX$932

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

64.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.21 MX$177

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

106.26%

Cappuccino

$3.68 MX$63.8

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

35.79%

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

$1.46 MX$25.34

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

8.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.31

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

42.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.70 MX$46.70

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.27 MX$74.0

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

7.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 MX$28.86

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

-7.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.68 MX$46.43

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

6.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.41

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

66.38%

Eggs

$2.63 MX$45.57

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

6.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.34 MX$179

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

-29.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.22 MX$160

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

113.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.84 MX$240

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

14.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 MX$54.6

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

-17.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.06

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

-10.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.65

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

-29.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.14 MX$37.10

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

-8.15%

Potato (1kg)

$2.27 MX$39.26

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

18.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.54 MX$44.08

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

15.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 MX$27.14

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

55.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.07 MX$18.53

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

37.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MX$73.6

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

28.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.36 MX$249

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

-39.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 MX$30.87

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

-36.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 MX$54.5

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

9.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.80 MX$13.89

$0.27 Rp 4,819

196.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.54 MX$703

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

404.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 MX$29.11

$0.46 Rp 8,181

265.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.94 MX$16.31

$0.45 Rp 8,068

108.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.76 MX$186

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

76.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 MX$23.72

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

73.42%

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

$26.7K MX$463.4K

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

2.27%

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

$25.6K MX$443.3K

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

-20.35%

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

$122 MX$2,108

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

52.19%

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

$27.19 MX$471

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

569.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.82 MX$517

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

26.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.49 MX$667

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-61.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.46 MX$372

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

223.68%

Cinema Ticket

$5.92 MX$103

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

42.65%

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

$346 MX$5,990

$304 Rp 5.4M

13.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,997 MX$155.9K

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

36.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 MX$1,012

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

5.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.55 MX$737

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

11.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 MX$1,896

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

23.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 MX$2,235

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

65.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 MX$15.8K

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-9.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$647 MX$11.2K

$675 Rp 12.1M

-4.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,565 MX$27.1K

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

-54.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,401 MX$24.3K

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

-31.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,371 MX$75.7K

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

53.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,839 MX$49.2K

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

25.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,104 MX$19.1K

$165 Rp 3.0M

567.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.55

13.28

-13.03%

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

Last update for Monterrey: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $913 in Monterrey and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 568% 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 Monterrey vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $302, with Monterrey 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

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

Monterrey and Ubud, Bali differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,601 vs $1,419 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Monterrey pays 568% more on average, 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: $913 in Monterrey versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $54.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,601 per month in Monterrey versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,601 in Monterrey, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. 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, Monterrey 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 13% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.