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: $1,618 in Monterrey versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

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

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,552 in Monterrey versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Monterrey is roughly 15% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monterrey 21% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.41 MX$235

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

288.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$52.7 MX$924

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

62.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 MX$177

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

108.88%

Cappuccino

$3.73 MX$65.4

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

35.64%

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

$1.44 MX$25.31

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 MX$17.60

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.67 MX$46.81

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

-10.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 MX$73.6

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

9.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 MX$29.19

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-4.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.72 MX$47.63

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

10.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 MX$34.18

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

66.67%

Eggs

$2.66 MX$46.71

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

9.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.21 MX$179

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-29.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.91 MX$156

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

104.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.78 MX$242

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

15.03%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 MX$53.3

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

-18.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.40 MX$24.60

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

-14.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 MX$35.34

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

-26.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.07 MX$36.37

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

-7.59%

Potato (1kg)

$2.32 MX$40.66

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

20.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.55 MX$44.78

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

11.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.51 MX$26.48

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

42.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.08 MX$18.93

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.25 MX$74.5

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

29.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.28 MX$250

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-38.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.79 MX$31.32

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

-35.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 MX$55.7

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

16.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.77 MX$13.54

$0.27 Rp 4,778

185.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.89 MX$717

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

404.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.76 MX$30.81

$0.48 Rp 8,659

266.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.99 MX$17.39

$0.42 Rp 7,532

135.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.39 MX$182

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

67.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.55

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

65.43%

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

$26.6K MX$467.3K

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

0.12%

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

$25.6K MX$448.3K

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-20.60%

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

$121 MX$2,128

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

54.87%

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

$27.40 MX$481

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

573.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.75 MX$522

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

22.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.46 MX$657

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-62.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.78 MX$382

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

243.53%

Cinema Ticket

$5.75 MX$101

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

44.11%

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

$348 MX$6,098

$305 Rp 5.5M

13.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,983 MX$157.6K

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

35.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.1 MX$1,037

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

9.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.88 MX$735

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

10.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 MX$1,880

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

23.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 MX$2,249

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

67.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$889 MX$15.6K

$992 Rp 17.8M

-10.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 MX$11.3K

$673 Rp 12.1M

-4.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,577 MX$27.7K

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-53.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,378 MX$24.2K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-32.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,238 MX$74.3K

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

51.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,757 MX$48.4K

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

23.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,133 MX$19.9K

$167 Rp 3.0M

578.39%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $889 in Monterrey and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 578% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $296 vs $297, 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 15% in total monthly costs ($1,618 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 578% 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: $889 in Monterrey versus $992 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 $32.00 versus $53.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,618 per month in Monterrey versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,618 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 15% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.