Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and McAllen, TX Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and McAllen, TX

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,395 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,777 in McAllen, TX.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,559 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,628 in McAllen, TX.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,724 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,478 in McAllen, TX.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 22% less than in McAllen, TX, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 4% above, McAllen, TX 32% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 Rp 59.7K

$14.51 $14.51

-76.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.88 Rp 564.0K

$69.8 $69.8

-52.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 Rp 87.3K

$7.89 $7.89

-35.49%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 47.1K

$4.21 $4.21

-34.68%

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

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

$2.57 $2.57

-46.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$1.97 $1.97

-63.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 Rp 49.4K

$4.85 $4.85

-40.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 Rp 66.4K

$6.12 $6.12

-36.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

$0.89 $0.89

101.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 42.0K

$3.04 $3.04

-19.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

$3.10 $3.10

-60.97%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 40.9K

$3.28 $3.28

-27.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.70 Rp 252.1K

$9.42 $9.42

56.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 Rp 72.7K

$9.70 $9.70

-56.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 Rp 207.1K

$15.83 $15.83

-23.69%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 62.9K

$4.57 $4.57

-19.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.6K

$1.42 $1.42

13.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

$3.31 $3.31

-17.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 39.0K

$2.39 $2.39

-5.02%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$2.56 $2.56

-25.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 39.4K

$2.88 $2.88

-20.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 17.4K

$1.71 $1.71

-40.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.4K

$2.17 $2.17

-64.06%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 Rp 55.7K

$8.70 $8.70

-62.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.06 Rp 412.7K

$16.04 $16.04

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 48.7K

$2.07 $2.07

37.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 47.8K

$2.40 $2.40

16.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,610

$1.02 $1.02

-73.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.24 Rp 141.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,708

$4.15 $4.15

-89.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,305

$0.72 $0.72

-40.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 Rp 103.3K

$29.64 $29.64

-79.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 14.7K

$0.74 $0.74

16.22%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.1M

$28.8K $28.8K

-9.37%

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

$31.7K Rp 543.7M

$22.3K $22.3K

42.46%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.3M

$175 $175

-55.22%

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

$4.00 Rp 68.5K

$39.66 $39.66

-89.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.35 Rp 417.7K

$75.8 $75.8

-67.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.8 Rp 1.6M

$45.09 $45.09

112.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.46 Rp 110.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 68.7K

$12.21 $12.21

-67.16%

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

$302 Rp 5.2M

$885 $885

-65.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,545 Rp 112.3M

$23.1K $23.1K

-71.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 916.3K

$70.1 $70.1

-23.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 Rp 661.2K

$44.35 $44.35

-13.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 Rp 1.5M

$75.3 $75.3

18.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$93.8 $93.8

-15.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 Rp 17.4M

$805 $805

26.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 Rp 11.5M

$688 $688

-2.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,368 Rp 57.8M

$1,339 $1,339

151.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 Rp 36.2M

$1,112 $1,112

89.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,001 Rp 51.5M

$1,696 $1,696

76.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,337 Rp 40.1M

$1,676 $1,676

39.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 Rp 3.0M

$3,614 $3,614

-95.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.59

101.52%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 12, 2026

Last update for McAllen, TX: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,016 in Ubud, Bali and $805 in McAllen, TX. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

McAllen, TX pays 1936% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $70 in McAllen, TX for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $339 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 McAllen, TX: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and McAllen, TX differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,395 vs $1,777 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, McAllen, TX earns 1936% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,016 in Ubud, Bali versus $805 in McAllen, TX. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $302 in Ubud, Bali versus $885 in McAllen, TX. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $70.0 in McAllen, TX. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,395 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,777 in McAllen, TX, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in McAllen, TX. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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 McAllen, TX 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 27% less than in McAllen, TX. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.