Cost of Living Comparison Between San Cristobal de las Casas and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between San Cristobal de las Casas and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $894 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,365 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,835 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in San Cristobal de las Casas costs roughly 37% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: San Cristobal de las Casas is 33% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.23 MX$90.4

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

46.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.82 MX$464

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-18.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.66 MX$97.8

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

14.34%

Cappuccino

$2.38 MX$41.09

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-12.18%

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

$1.61 MX$27.88

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

20.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$17.20

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

41.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.33 MX$40.23

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

-20.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.72 MX$81.6

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

19.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.45 MX$25.11

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-19.89%

White Bread (500g)

$3.05 MX$52.7

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

21.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 MX$25.56

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

27.59%

Eggs

$3.58 MX$62.0

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

45.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.05 MX$122

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-52.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.04 MX$69.8

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

-6.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.23 MX$125

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-40.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.18 MX$55.0

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-17.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 MX$33.32

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

23.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.05

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-40.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.44 MX$24.97

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-38.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.70 MX$29.46

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-10.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 MX$24.06

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-36.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.44 MX$24.91

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

42.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 MX$22.71

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

67.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.81 MX$31.34

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

-45.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.76 MX$186

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-54.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 MX$33.54

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-30.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 MX$40.75

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

-17.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 MX$9.60

$0.27 Rp 4,800

103.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$26.61 MX$460

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

231.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.63 MX$45.41

$0.46 Rp 8,150

471.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.40 MX$41.59

$0.45 Rp 8,037

433.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.26 MX$143

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

35.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.34 MX$23.11

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

69.62%

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

$15.7K MX$272.0K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

-39.85%

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

$22.8K MX$394.8K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-28.93%

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

$32.62 MX$564

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-59.19%

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

$19.87 MX$344

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

389.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$19.36 MX$335

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

-17.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.73 MX$376

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-77.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.94 MX$276

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

140.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.67 MX$115

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

60.72%

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

$198 MX$3,417

$304 Rp 5.4M

-35.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,562 MX$44.3K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-61.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$26.22 MX$454

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-52.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.14 MX$556

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

-16.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 MX$1,437

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-6.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$51.6 MX$892

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-33.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$415 MX$7,185

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-58.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 MX$5,292

$675 Rp 12.1M

-54.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 MX$14.5K

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-75.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$516 MX$8,918

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-74.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$855 MX$14.8K

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

-69.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$688 MX$11.9K

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-69.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$425 MX$7,344

$165 Rp 3.0M

156.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.33

13.28

-22.21%

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

Last update for San Cristobal de las Casas: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $415 in San Cristobal de las Casas and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Cristobal de las Casas pays 157% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $27.00 in San Cristobal de las Casas vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $302 per month, with San Cristobal de las Casas 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

San Cristobal de las Casas vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Cristobal de las Casas wins on cost – living expenses run 59% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Cristobal de las Casas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

San Cristobal de las Casas pays 157% 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: $415 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in San Cristobal de las Casas runs roughly 231% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $198 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $894 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Cristobal de las Casas but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes San Cristobal de las Casas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San Cristobal de las Casas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $894 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Cristobal de las Casas hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Cristobal de las Casas 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 San Cristobal de las Casas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 59% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.