Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Isla Mujeres Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Isla Mujeres

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,099 in Isla Mujeres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,775 in Isla Mujeres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,452 in Isla Mujeres.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 29% more expensive than Isla Mujeres, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Isla Mujeres is 18% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$10.64 MX$186

-66.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$38.90 MX$679

-15.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.3K

$7.85 MX$137

-36.94%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$3.25 MX$56.8

-16.62%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$1.29 MX$22.59

3.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.96 MX$16.72

-27.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$2.23 MX$39.02

30.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$4.00 MX$69.8

-1.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.44 MX$25.11

25.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$2.59 MX$45.31

-2.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.61 MX$28.16

-27.95%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$2.39 MX$41.69

2.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$7.94 MX$139

85.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$7.90 MX$138

-45.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$10.68 MX$186

13.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$2.71 MX$47.34

41.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.39 MX$24.28

12.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$1.77 MX$30.95

59.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$1.70 MX$29.74

37.06%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$1.84 MX$32.20

3.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$2.02 MX$35.27

8.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$1.20 MX$21.03

-15.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$1.02 MX$17.86

-23.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$4.08 MX$71.3

-18.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.1K

$10.95 MX$191

116.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.60 MX$27.87

74.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$2.76 MX$48.24

3.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.62 MX$10.76

-56.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,231

$2.64 MX$46.06

-82.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,117

$1.54 MX$26.83

-70.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$8.24 MX$144

-25.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.30 MX$22.75

-39.23%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$21.0K MX$366.0K

24.78%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.3M

$22.7K MX$396.6K

41.43%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$55.9 MX$976

43.11%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$21.95 MX$383

-81.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.2K

$27.75 MX$485

-15.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$36.94 MX$645

167.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$16.11 MX$281

-58.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$4.50 MX$78.6

-7.78%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$209 MX$3,653

45.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$3,540 MX$61.8K

86.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$52.5 MX$916

5.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$39.57 MX$691

-3.18%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$90.4 MX$1,579

-1.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$78.0 MX$1,363

-0.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.2M

$504 MX$8,806

99.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$404 MX$7,055

67.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$946 MX$16.5K

263.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$758 MX$13.2K

169.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$1,784 MX$31.2K

59.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$1,186 MX$20.7K

90.96%

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 Isla Mujeres: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $504 in Isla Mujeres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $39.00 in Isla Mujeres. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $251, with Isla Mujeres 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 Isla Mujeres: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Isla Mujeres differ by about 29% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $1,099 including rent). Isla Mujeres 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 $1,648 in Isla Mujeres 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 $504 in Isla Mujeres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% 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 $1,099 in Isla Mujeres – a 29% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,099 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Isla Mujeres but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Isla Mujeres 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 Isla Mujeres 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 Isla Mujeres gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.