Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Vallarta and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Puerto Vallarta and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,571 in Puerto Vallarta versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,412 in Puerto Vallarta versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,253 in Puerto Vallarta versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Puerto Vallarta is roughly 12% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Puerto Vallarta 18% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.75 MX$188

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

211.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$47.73 MX$837

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

47.59%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.67 MX$170

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

99.79%

Cappuccino

$3.47 MX$60.8

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

26.18%

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

$1.81 MX$31.72

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

31.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 MX$22.15

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

68.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.60 MX$45.51

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 MX$76.1

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

12.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$27.54

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-9.77%

White Bread (500g)

$3.47 MX$60.8

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

41.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.33 MX$40.79

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

99.15%

Eggs

$1.96 MX$34.39

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

-19.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.47 MX$201

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-20.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.32 MX$181

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

137.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.00 MX$298

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

41.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.42 MX$42.44

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

-34.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 MX$24.75

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

-13.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 MX$28.99

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

-39.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 MX$40.89

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

4.02%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 MX$39.25

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 MX$53.2

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

32.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.48 MX$25.87

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

39.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 MX$20.21

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

59.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 MX$72.4

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

25.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 MX$214

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-47.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.06 MX$36.10

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

-25.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MX$56.8

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

18.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 MX$8.95

$0.27 Rp 4,778

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.08 MX$282

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

98.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 MX$52.0

$0.48 Rp 8,659

518.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.75 MX$48.22

$0.42 Rp 7,532

554.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.32 MX$75.7

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

-30.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 MX$23.27

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

64.20%

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

$15.0K MX$263.6K

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

-43.48%

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

$22.0K MX$386.2K

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-31.54%

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

$94.2 MX$1,651

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

20.22%

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

$23.56 MX$413

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

478.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$30.94 MX$542

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

27.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.41 MX$638

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-63.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.12 MX$230

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

106.94%

Cinema Ticket

$8.15 MX$143

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

104.26%

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

$362 MX$6,342

$305 Rp 5.5M

18.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,410 MX$112.3K

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

-3.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.3 MX$917

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

-3.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.71 MX$591

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

-10.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.3 MX$1,739

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

14.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.9 MX$1,646

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

23.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$994 MX$17.4K

$992 Rp 17.8M

0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$684 MX$12.0K

$673 Rp 12.1M

1.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 MX$34.7K

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-41.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,278 MX$22.4K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-37.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,369 MX$94.1K

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

91.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,565 MX$45.0K

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

15.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$914 MX$16.0K

$167 Rp 3.0M

447.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

13.28

-13.40%

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

Last update for Puerto Vallarta: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $994 in Puerto Vallarta and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puerto Vallarta pays 447% 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: $48.00 in Puerto Vallarta vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $317 vs $297 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

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

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 447% higher in Puerto Vallarta, 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: $994 in Puerto Vallarta 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 98% less than in Puerto Vallarta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $362 in Puerto Vallarta 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 $1,571 in Puerto Vallarta, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Puerto Vallarta. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Puerto Vallarta, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Puerto Vallarta 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 12% less than in Puerto Vallarta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.