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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,113 in Isla Mujeres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,743 in Isla Mujeres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,374 in Isla Mujeres.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 26% more expensive than in Isla Mujeres, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Isla Mujeres is 19% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$10.49 MX$177

-67.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$38.49 MX$650

0.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$7.81 MX$132

-29.32%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$3.21 MX$54.2

-17.76%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$1.29 MX$21.76

29.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.90 MX$15.14

-14.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.17 MX$36.67

21.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$3.96 MX$66.8

8.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.45 MX$24.42

6.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$2.62 MX$44.27

-15.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$1.56 MX$26.42

-27.56%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$2.29 MX$38.59

-8.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

$8.06 MX$136

115.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$7.66 MX$129

-49.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

$10.64 MX$180

17.95%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$2.58 MX$43.56

40.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.38 MX$23.36

13.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.77 MX$29.89

32.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.64 MX$27.77

25.61%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.85 MX$31.19

2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.93 MX$32.61

21.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.20 MX$20.32

-14.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,780

$0.98 MX$16.57

-43.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$4.15 MX$70.1

-45.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$11.01 MX$186

116.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.56 MX$26.27

48.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$2.83 MX$47.87

-1.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.62 MX$10.45

-56.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$2.63 MX$44.40

-81.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,864

$1.54 MX$25.95

-70.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$8.40 MX$142

-31.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.25 MX$21.16

-39.20%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

$20.8K MX$351.9K

17.47%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$22.6K MX$381.0K

42.34%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$56.7 MX$958

47.33%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$22.16 MX$374

-70.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

$28.44 MX$480

-33.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.9K

$36.49 MX$616

53.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$15.79 MX$267

17.92%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$4.76 MX$80.3

-10.08%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$209 MX$3,536

132.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$3,661 MX$61.8K

59.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$52.9 MX$894

-13.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$40.40 MX$682

-9.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$89.3 MX$1,508

-8.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$79.4 MX$1,341

1.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$512 MX$8,637

118.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$403 MX$6,801

74.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$949 MX$16.0K

272.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$756 MX$12.8K

133.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$1,759 MX$29.7K

60.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$1,155 MX$19.5K

98.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.48

20.03%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Isla Mujeres: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $512 in Isla Mujeres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $38.00 in Isla Mujeres for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $248 per month, with Isla Mujeres cheaper across the board.

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 26% in total monthly costs ($1,396 vs $1,113 including rent). Isla Mujeres is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,095 in Ubud, Bali and $1,669 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: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $512 in Isla Mujeres. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,113 in Isla Mujeres – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,113 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,396 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 26% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.