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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,181 in Cozumel.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,397 in Cozumel.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,613 in Cozumel.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 20% more expensive than Cozumel, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Cozumel is 12% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Cozumel
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.56 Rp 63.9K
$8.61 MX$149
-58.65%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.73 Rp 586.8K
$42.46 MX$736
-22.92%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.95 Rp 88.7K
$7.82 MX$136
-36.70%
Cappuccino
$2.71 Rp 48.6K
$3.06 MX$53.0
-11.44%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 24.1K
$1.21 MX$20.89
10.74%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 Rp 12.5K
$1.06 MX$18.37
-33.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 Rp 52.3K
$1.90 MX$32.94
53.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 Rp 70.9K
$3.74 MX$64.8
5.88%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Cozumel
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 Rp 32.4K
$1.42 MX$24.62
27.46%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 Rp 45.1K
$1.63 MX$28.24
54.60%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 Rp 20.8K
$1.52 MX$26.30
-23.68%
Eggs
$2.46 Rp 44.1K
$1.98 MX$34.39
24.24%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.71 Rp 263.7K
$10.08 MX$175
45.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.32 Rp 77.4K
$7.08 MX$123
-38.98%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.14 Rp 217.5K
$11.02 MX$191
10.16%
Apples (1kg)
$3.84 Rp 68.8K
$2.32 MX$40.24
65.52%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 Rp 27.9K
$1.37 MX$23.66
13.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 Rp 50.8K
$2.09 MX$36.17
35.41%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.7K
$1.50 MX$26.03
55.33%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$2.16 MX$37.51
-11.57%
Onion (1kg)
$2.20 Rp 39.5K
$1.95 MX$33.74
12.82%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 Rp 18.2K
$1.07 MX$18.57
-5.61%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 Rp 13.9K
$0.91 MX$15.82
-14.29%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.32 Rp 59.4K
$4.07 MX$70.6
-18.43%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.74 Rp 425.5K
$11.50 MX$199
106.43%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 Rp 50.0K
$1.35 MX$23.47
106.67%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 Rp 51.3K
$2.75 MX$47.63
4.00%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Cozumel
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,819
$0.61 MX$10.52
-55.74%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.03 Rp 143.9K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.46 Rp 8,181
$2.35 MX$40.74
-80.43%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,068
$2.47 MX$42.77
-81.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 Rp 109.3K
$6.63 MX$115
-7.99%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$1.27 MX$22.08
-37.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rp 468.8M
$16.1K MX$279.5K
62.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K Rp 575.8M
$21.7K MX$375.7K
48.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Cozumel
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$50.8 MX$881
57.30%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.06 Rp 72.9K
$22.37 MX$388
-81.85%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52 Rp 421.6K
$21.98 MX$381
7.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Cozumel
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.7 Rp 1.8M
$37.70 MX$653
161.80%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.63 Rp 118.8K
$21.25 MX$368
-68.80%
Cinema Ticket
$4.15 Rp 74.3K
$4.75 MX$82.3
-12.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Cozumel
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 Rp 5.4M
$385 MX$6,679
-21.14%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,613 Rp 118.5M
$3,540 MX$61.4K
86.79%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Cozumel
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.5 Rp 995.6K
$56.8 MX$983
-2.13%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.31 Rp 686.7K
$48.96 MX$848
-21.75%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 Rp 1.6M
$92.9 MX$1,610
-4.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$85.2 MX$1,477
-8.65%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Cozumel
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 Rp 18.0M
$715 MX$12.4K
40.84%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$675 Rp 12.1M
$495 MX$8,572
36.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,442 Rp 61.7M
$1,547 MX$26.8K
122.54%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,039 Rp 36.6M
$2,009 MX$34.8K
1.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,841 Rp 50.9M
$1,468 MX$25.4K
93.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,264 Rp 40.6M
$1,858 MX$32.2K
21.87%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Cozumel
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
$686 MX$11.9K
-75.91%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
11.68
13.70%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cozumel: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $715 in Cozumel. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cozumel pays 315% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $42.00 in Cozumel. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $240, with Cozumel 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 Cozumel: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and Cozumel?
Ubud, Bali and Cozumel differ by about 20% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $1,181 including rent). Cozumel is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Cozumel earns 315% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and Cozumel?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $715 in Cozumel. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ubud, Bali or Cozumel?
All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,181 in Cozumel – a 20% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $1,181 in Cozumel versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Cozumel but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cozumel the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Cozumel?
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.
Is Ubud, Bali or Cozumel safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Cozumel are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or Cozumel?
Expats usually find Cozumel gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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