Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,746 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,612 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,478 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 20% cheaper than Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 2%, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur by 27%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$11.27 MX$190

-70.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$52.0 MX$878

-25.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$9.92 MX$168

-44.35%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$3.53 MX$59.7

-25.21%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$1.54 MX$26.03

8.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.04 MX$17.62

-25.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.69 MX$45.54

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$4.68 MX$79.1

-8.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.87 MX$31.68

-17.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$3.27 MX$55.3

-32.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$2.64 MX$44.59

-57.20%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$2.46 MX$41.63

-15.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$12.73 MX$215

36.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$10.65 MX$180

-63.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$14.62 MX$247

-14.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$2.82 MX$47.58

28.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.62 MX$27.45

-3.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.71 MX$28.87

37.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.82 MX$30.74

13.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.34 MX$22.71

41.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$2.03 MX$34.31

15.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$2.99 MX$50.5

-65.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$1.29 MX$21.83

-57.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$5.20 MX$87.9

-56.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$11.99 MX$203

98.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.60 MX$27.06

44.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$3.73 MX$63.0

-24.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.99 MX$16.65

-72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$55.5 MX$937

-84.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$4.68 MX$79.0

-89.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$3.36 MX$56.7

-86.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$11.51 MX$194

-50.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.59 MX$26.82

-52.20%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$22.5K MX$380.6K

8.72%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$25.4K MX$429.7K

26.34%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$89.6 MX$1,514

-6.75%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$27.14 MX$459

-76.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$33.74 MX$570

-43.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$49.06 MX$829

14.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$30.14 MX$509

-38.22%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$4.50 MX$76.1

-4.89%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$253 MX$4,277

92.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$8,964 MX$151.5K

-34.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$77.0 MX$1,301

-40.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$55.7 MX$941

-34.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$101 MX$1,704

-18.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$72.6 MX$1,227

10.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$1,224 MX$20.7K

-8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$793 MX$13.4K

-11.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$2,590 MX$43.8K

36.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$1,251 MX$21.1K

40.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$3,864 MX$65.3K

-26.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$2,174 MX$36.7K

5.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$806 MX$13.6K

-78.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.6

18.79%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,224 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. 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 375% higher in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $52.0 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $322 – making Ubud, Bali 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

Ubud, Bali vs Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur is pricier by about 25%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,618 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 540% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $487 per month in Ubud, Bali and $253 in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur. 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 Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,396, than in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur at $1,746. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.