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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,117 in Isla Mujeres.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,747 in Isla Mujeres.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,376 in Isla Mujeres.

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

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Isla Mujeres is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$10.42 MX$181

-67.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$38.39 MX$665

-14.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$7.85 MX$136

-35.29%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$3.20 MX$55.5

-11.88%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$1.27 MX$22.07

7.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.91 MX$15.74

-21.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$2.19 MX$37.97

35.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$3.92 MX$67.9

-0.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$1.45 MX$25.05

20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$2.63 MX$45.59

-4.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$1.62 MX$28.14

-25.31%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$2.32 MX$40.29

0.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$7.98 MX$138

81.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$7.82 MX$135

-44.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$10.41 MX$180

15.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$2.62 MX$45.45

45.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$1.44 MX$25.01

11.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$1.79 MX$31.06

50.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$1.72 MX$29.79

29.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.85 MX$32.09

2.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.92 MX$33.32

13.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$1.25 MX$21.63

-17.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$0.99 MX$17.14

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$4.19 MX$72.7

-24.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$10.70 MX$185

117.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$1.54 MX$26.68

85.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$2.84 MX$49.27

-4.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$0.65 MX$11.26

-55.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$2.57 MX$44.59

-80.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

$1.58 MX$27.46

-71.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$8.08 MX$140

-22.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$1.28 MX$22.13

-33.59%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$21.0K MX$363.1K

24.37%

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

$22.2K MX$384.4K

42.13%

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$56.5 MX$979

41.21%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$22.15 MX$384

-81.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$27.97 MX$485

-13.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$35.97 MX$623

167.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

$16.11 MX$279

-59.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$4.68 MX$81.1

-11.75%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

$208 MX$3,605

42.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$3,634 MX$63.0K

83.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

$52.0 MX$901

5.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

$39.24 MX$680

-1.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

$91.7 MX$1,589

-2.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$80.0 MX$1,386

-1.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$510 MX$8,842

99.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$393 MX$6,807

68.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

$928 MX$16.1K

270.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$775 MX$13.4K

164.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

$1,743 MX$30.2K

70.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

$1,165 MX$20.2K

103.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 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: April 21, 2026

Last update for Isla Mujeres: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali and $510 in Isla Mujeres. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $38 in Isla Mujeres. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $249, 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 26% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $1,117 including rent). Isla Mujeres is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,112 in Ubud, Bali and $1,676 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: $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $510 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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,117 in Isla Mujeres – a 26% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,117 in Isla Mujeres versus $1,408 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.