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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,019 in Chapala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,511 in Chapala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,002 in Chapala, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 37% more than Chapala, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Chapala is 23% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$8.29 MX$143

-56.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$34.31 MX$594

-5.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$6.75 MX$117

-25.78%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$3.22 MX$55.8

-12.42%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.97 MX$34.09

-31.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.97 MX$16.82

-24.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.04 MX$35.30

43.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$3.22 MX$55.8

22.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.59 MX$27.56

11.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$2.65 MX$45.88

-7.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.59 MX$27.55

-27.67%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.24 MX$38.70

7.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$8.26 MX$143

73.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$7.43 MX$129

-43.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$7.67 MX$133

57.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.25 MX$38.95

61.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$0.92 MX$15.88

70.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$0.85 MX$14.76

228.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.46 MX$25.23

53.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.35 MX$23.39

46.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.03 MX$17.89

121.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.93 MX$16.11

12.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.81 MX$14.06

-2.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$3.97 MX$68.7

-19.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$8.69 MX$150

170.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.41 MX$24.43

105.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$1.60 MX$27.69

72.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.62 MX$10.72

-56.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.05 MX$18.10

-57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.42 MX$24.56

-67.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$3.10 MX$53.6

95.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.32 MX$22.78

-34.85%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$18.4K MX$318.1K

44.59%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$18.3K MX$316.6K

77.88%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$48.12 MX$833

64.21%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$16.83 MX$291

-75.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$25.55 MX$442

-6.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$25.12 MX$435

293.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$15.66 MX$271

-59.45%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$4.26 MX$73.8

-5.87%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$179 MX$3,102

65.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$2,604 MX$45.1K

153.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$42.96 MX$743

24.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$16.14 MX$279

136.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$66.4 MX$1,150

33.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$54.0 MX$935

41.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$466 MX$8,057

118.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$426 MX$7,377

59.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$778 MX$13.5K

345.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$638 MX$11.0K

227.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$741 MX$12.8K

268.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$740 MX$12.8K

210.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.24

18.15%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Chapala: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $466 in Chapala. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $34.00 in Chapala. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $217 in Chapala – so Chapala wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Chapala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 37% more than Chapala, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,529 in Chapala. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $34.00 in Chapala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 37% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Chapala, where all-in costs run around $1,019, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In Chapala 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. Chapala costs $1,019 versus $1,392 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 Chapala. 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.