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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,126 in Ciudad del Carmen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,784 in Ciudad del Carmen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,442 in Ciudad del Carmen.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 26% more expensive than Ciudad del Carmen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Ciudad del Carmen is 16% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$10.67 MX$186

-66.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$38.59 MX$674

-15.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.3K

$7.97 MX$139

-37.89%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$3.27 MX$57.1

-17.13%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$1.28 MX$22.40

4.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.95 MX$16.64

-26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$2.44 MX$42.60

19.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$3.84 MX$67.1

3.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.47 MX$25.70

23.13%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$2.52 MX$43.98

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.61 MX$28.09

-27.95%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$2.29 MX$39.95

7.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$8.17 MX$143

80.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$7.84 MX$137

-44.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$10.38 MX$181

16.96%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$2.63 MX$45.85

46.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.43 MX$25.00

9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$1.76 MX$30.78

60.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$1.61 MX$28.08

44.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$1.92 MX$33.55

-0.52%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$2.01 MX$35.16

9.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$1.25 MX$21.79

-19.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$1.03 MX$17.95

-24.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$4.29 MX$74.9

-22.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.1K

$9.39 MX$164

152.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.59 MX$27.79

75.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$2.72 MX$47.47

5.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.66 MX$11.48

-59.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,231

$2.61 MX$45.55

-82.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,117

$1.56 MX$27.21

-71.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$8.28 MX$145

-26.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.27 MX$22.20

-37.80%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$21.5K MX$375.3K

21.68%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.3M

$22.2K MX$387.6K

44.73%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$55.9 MX$977

42.95%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$22.36 MX$390

-81.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.2K

$27.76 MX$485

-15.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$36.16 MX$631

172.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$15.99 MX$279

-58.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$4.72 MX$82.5

-12.08%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$208 MX$3,631

46.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$3,647 MX$63.7K

81.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$52.4 MX$915

6.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$38.89 MX$679

-1.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$88.7 MX$1,549

-0.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$80.8 MX$1,411

-3.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.2M

$501 MX$8,750

100.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$401 MX$7,007

68.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$950 MX$16.6K

262.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$755 MX$13.2K

170.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$2,055 MX$35.9K

38.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$1,172 MX$20.5K

93.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.48

15.68%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ciudad del Carmen: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $501 in Ciudad del Carmen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $39.00 in Ciudad del Carmen. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $246, 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 26% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $1,126 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 $2,129 in Ubud, Bali and $1,690 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $501 in Ciudad del Carmen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,126 in Ciudad del Carmen – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,126 in Ciudad del Carmen versus $1,419 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 26% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.