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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,249 per month in Tijuana vs $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,983 per month in Tijuana vs $2,540 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,716 per month in Tijuana vs $3,660 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Tijuana is about 12% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Tijuana sits 7% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 6% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.24 MX$212

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

243.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.89 MX$552

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-2.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.09 MX$140

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

63.43%

Cappuccino

$3.78 MX$65.4

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

39.48%

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

$1.16 MX$20.01

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-13.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 MX$16.48

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.90 MX$50.1

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 MX$87.6

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

27.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 MX$27.08

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-13.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 MX$42.41

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-2.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 MX$31.61

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

57.76%

Eggs

$3.12 MX$54.0

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

26.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.70 MX$133

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-47.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.89 MX$102

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

36.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 MX$177

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-15.65%

Apples (1kg)

$2.60 MX$44.92

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-32.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 MX$26.73

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

-0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 MX$31.63

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-35.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 MX$27.43

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-31.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 MX$29.10

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-12.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 MX$30.82

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-19.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 MX$18.42

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 MX$17.06

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

26.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.21 MX$72.8

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

26.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 MX$148

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-63.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 MX$33.28

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-31.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.24 MX$56.1

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

13.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 MX$16.69

$0.27 Rp 4,800

255.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.90 MX$327

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

135.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 MX$47.55

$0.46 Rp 8,150

497.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.00 MX$51.9

$0.45 Rp 8,037

566.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.11 MX$53.7

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

-49.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 MX$22.73

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

65.82%

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

$23.4K MX$405.0K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

-10.47%

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

$20.8K MX$360.0K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-35.21%

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

$55.9 MX$967

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-30.09%

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

$27.47 MX$475

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

576.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.44 MX$544

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

33.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.65 MX$651

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-61.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.08 MX$347

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

202.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.60 MX$79.5

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

10.84%

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

$204 MX$3,528

$304 Rp 5.4M

-32.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,729 MX$47.2K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-58.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.70 MX$756

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-21.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.19 MX$609

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

-8.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$87.9 MX$1,521

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-0.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.3 MX$1,198

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-11.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$788 MX$13.6K

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-21.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 MX$8,705

$675 Rp 12.1M

-25.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 MX$26.4K

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-55.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$966 MX$16.7K

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-52.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,295 MX$57.0K

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

15.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,914 MX$50.4K

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

28.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$938 MX$16.2K

$165 Rp 3.0M

467.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.8

13.28

-11.14%

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

Last update for Tijuana: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $788 in Tijuana versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 468% higher in Tijuana, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Tijuana versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $239 vs $302 – making Tijuana the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Ubud, Bali costs about 14% more than Tijuana, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,874 per month in Tijuana and $2,129 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tijuana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 135% less in Tijuana. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $204 per month in Tijuana and $304 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tijuana, where all-in costs run around $1,249, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Tijuana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tijuana costs $1,249 versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tijuana. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.