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 $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,126 in Chapala, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,695 in Chapala, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,264 in Chapala, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 21% more than Chapala, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Chapala is 18% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$11.88 MX$205

-71.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$25.07 MX$432

44.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$7.76 MX$134

-26.42%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.50 MX$60.4

-23.71%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.72 MX$29.67

1.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.25 MX$21.58

-30.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.40 MX$41.31

22.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.15 MX$54.3

43.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.58 MX$27.29

2.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.41 MX$41.56

-3.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.58 MX$27.25

-29.75%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.40 MX$41.37

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$8.76 MX$151

101.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$5.94 MX$102

-30.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$8.68 MX$150

40.32%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.33 MX$40.18

59.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.37 MX$23.54

16.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.57 MX$27.06

45.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.81 MX$31.28

7.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.72 MX$29.57

11.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.48 MX$25.60

57.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.05 MX$18.08

-3.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.95 MX$16.37

-42.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$4.36 MX$75.3

-48.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$8.71 MX$150

164.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$0.89 MX$15.39

171.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$3.74 MX$64.4

-19.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.78 MX$13.46

-65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.33 MX$22.94

-63.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$3.55 MX$61.2

-87.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$17.44 MX$301

-67.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.52 MX$26.28

-47.37%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$22.2K MX$382.0K

12.58%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$25.9K MX$447.0K

22.32%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$49.22 MX$849

65.50%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$17.72 MX$306

-63.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$26.02 MX$449

-27.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$24.17 MX$417

135.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$2.92 MX$50.3

55.48%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$224 MX$3,856

114.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$3,126 MX$53.9K

82.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$59.2 MX$1,021

-23.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$41.26 MX$711

-13.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$54.6 MX$942

47.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$38.07 MX$656

106.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$621 MX$10.7K

79.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$493 MX$8,502

41.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,089 MX$18.8K

234.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$803 MX$13.8K

116.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$767 MX$13.2K

263.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$741 MX$12.8K

208.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.2

23.04%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chapala: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $621 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $25.00 in Chapala. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $226 – making Chapala 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 Chapala: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 21% more than Chapala, 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 $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,690 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $25.00 in Chapala. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% 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 $1,126, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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 $1,126 versus $1,368 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.