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: $1,728 in Monterrey versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,711 in Monterrey versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Monterrey versus $3,275 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Monterrey is roughly 25% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monterrey 25% above, Ubud, Bali 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.63 MX$248

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

339.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.1 MX$901

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

48.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.02 MX$204

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

113.50%

Cappuccino

$4.18 MX$71.0

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

48.23%

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

$1.70 MX$28.82

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

-2.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 MX$18.95

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 MX$49.53

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

-3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.71 MX$79.9

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

9.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 MX$33.50

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

22.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.16 MX$53.6

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

39.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.00 MX$34.00

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

70.94%

Eggs

$2.68 MX$45.44

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

23.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.14 MX$223

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-25.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.98 MX$169

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

146.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.79 MX$234

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

13.22%

Apples (1kg)

$3.60 MX$61.1

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-0.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 MX$28.07

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

0.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 MX$39.26

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.58 MX$43.71

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

31.63%

Potato (1kg)

$2.50 MX$42.39

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

35.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.95 MX$50.0

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

24.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.62 MX$27.53

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

54.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 MX$22.70

$0.54 Rp 9,560

148.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.34 MX$90.7

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

132.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 MX$252

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-35.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 MX$34.28

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 MX$54.8

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

5.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 MX$14.78

$0.25 Rp 4,365

248.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.53 MX$569

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

255.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 MX$31.82

$0.49 Rp 8,631

283.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 MX$19.52

$0.47 Rp 8,349

144.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$11.99 MX$203

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

114.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 MX$28.58

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

107.41%

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

$22.7K MX$385.0K

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

-9.26%

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

$27.3K MX$462.8K

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

-12.19%

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

$124 MX$2,109

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

50.28%

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

$28.42 MX$482

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

337.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.37 MX$481

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

50.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.01 MX$560

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-40.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.10 MX$392

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

26.85%

Cinema Ticket

$5.51 MX$93.5

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

28.14%

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

$738 MX$12.5K

$494 Rp 8.7M

49.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.4K MX$211.1K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

110.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.9 MX$1,373

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

74.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.74 MX$776

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

25.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 MX$2,046

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

49.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 MX$2,295

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

71.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,045 MX$17.7K

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-6.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$728 MX$12.3K

$693 Rp 12.2M

4.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,014 MX$34.2K

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-44.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,403 MX$23.8K

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-18.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,411 MX$74.8K

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

59.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,630 MX$44.6K

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

14.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,170 MX$19.8K

$167 Rp 2.9M

600.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.56

13.78

-16.11%

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

Last update for Monterrey: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,045 in Monterrey and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 600% 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: $53.0 in Monterrey vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $333 vs $294 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

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

Monterrey and Ubud, Bali differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,728 vs $1,378 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 600% higher in Monterrey, 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: $1,045 in Monterrey versus $1,114 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 $36.00 versus $53.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,728 per month in Monterrey versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,728 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 25% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.