Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Ciudad del Carmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Ciudad del Carmen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,229 in Ciudad del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,989 in Ciudad del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,748 in Ciudad del Carmen.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 12% more expensive than in Ciudad del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Ciudad del Carmen is 11% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$11.61 MX$197

-71.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$47.78 MX$811

-25.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$9.17 MX$156

-38.60%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$3.84 MX$65.2

-26.56%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$1.50 MX$25.45

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$1.09 MX$18.46

-26.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.98 MX$50.6

2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.29 MX$72.8

0.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.77 MX$29.96

-9.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$2.87 MX$48.74

-20.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.79 MX$30.39

-34.64%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.56 MX$43.45

-15.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$9.05 MX$154

94.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$9.22 MX$156

-56.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$12.43 MX$211

-2.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.86 MX$48.51

26.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.60 MX$27.17

2.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.11 MX$35.74

9.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.97 MX$33.38

-0.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$2.14 MX$36.28

-14.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.97 MX$33.38

20.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.48 MX$25.05

-29.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$1.17 MX$19.78

-53.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.70 MX$79.7

-51.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$11.60 MX$197

98.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$2.00 MX$34.02

17.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$3.41 MX$57.9

-9.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.69 MX$11.69

-63.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$2.81 MX$47.69

-82.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$2.10 MX$35.67

-77.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$11.59 MX$197

-51.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.57 MX$26.65

-48.41%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$22.7K MX$384.8K

10.30%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$25.9K MX$439.6K

19.94%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$61.7 MX$1,047

34.09%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$24.16 MX$410

-73.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$31.86 MX$541

-41.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$36.45 MX$619

51.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$21.72 MX$369

-16.16%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.57 MX$94.6

-22.80%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$244 MX$4,138

102.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$5,028 MX$85.3K

17.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$58.5 MX$993

-20.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$44.48 MX$755

-18.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$108 MX$1,827

-25.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$91.9 MX$1,560

-14.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$639 MX$10.8K

74.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$417 MX$7,081

66.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$1,129 MX$19.2K

222.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$808 MX$13.7K

111.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,012 MX$34.1K

37.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,255 MX$21.3K

82.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.3

21.95%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ciudad del Carmen: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $639 in Ciudad del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $48.00 in Ciudad del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $287, with Ciudad del Carmen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ciudad del Carmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Ciudad del Carmen differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $1,229 including rent). Ciudad del Carmen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,067 in Ubud, Bali and $1,844 in Ciudad del Carmen to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $639 in Ciudad del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,229 in Ciudad del Carmen – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,229 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Ciudad del Carmen but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Ciudad del Carmen the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Ciudad del Carmen 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 Ciudad del Carmen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.