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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,070 in Mexicali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,608 in Mexicali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,145 in Mexicali, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 30% more than Mexicali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Mexicali is 20% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$12.25 MX$212

-70.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$32.11 MX$556

0.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$6.33 MX$109

-20.85%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.59 MX$44.75

8.88%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.16 MX$20.13

16.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.91 MX$15.77

-19.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.35 MX$23.29

117.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$4.06 MX$70.2

-2.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.21 MX$20.95

47.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$2.29 MX$39.69

6.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.42 MX$24.64

-19.01%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.62 MX$45.37

-8.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$2.34 MX$40.41

512.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$5.81 MX$100

-27.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$6.45 MX$112

86.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$1.56 MX$26.91

133.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.30 MX$22.42

20.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.30 MX$22.54

114.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.55 MX$26.74

44.52%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.34 MX$23.12

47.76%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.36 MX$23.50

67.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.11 MX$19.21

-5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.77 MX$13.25

2.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$4.00 MX$69.2

-20.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$8.75 MX$151

168.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.88 MX$32.57

54.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$3.33 MX$57.6

-17.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.99 MX$17.18

-72.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$33.27 MX$576

-74.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$2.72 MX$47.07

-83.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.62 MX$27.95

-71.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$3.23 MX$56.0

87.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.25 MX$21.60

-31.20%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$22.8K MX$394.9K

16.49%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$20.7K MX$359.0K

56.87%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$56.6 MX$979

39.59%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$22.56 MX$390

-81.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$30.81 MX$533

-22.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$38.65 MX$669

155.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$15.64 MX$271

-59.40%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$3.93 MX$68.0

2.04%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$203 MX$3,509

46.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$2,755 MX$47.7K

139.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$26.28 MX$455

103.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$31.22 MX$540

22.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$73.7 MX$1,275

20.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$68.7 MX$1,188

11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$639 MX$11.1K

59.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$397 MX$6,866

71.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$1,185 MX$20.5K

192.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$670 MX$11.6K

211.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$2,823 MX$48.8K

-3.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$1,552 MX$26.9K

47.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$914 MX$15.8K

-82.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.5

15.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Mexicali: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $639 in Mexicali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 459% higher in Mexicali, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $32.00 in Mexicali. Groceries tell a different story – $298 in Ubud, Bali vs $189 in Mexicali – so Mexicali wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Mexicali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, $1,070 in Mexicali – roughly 30% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,605 in Mexicali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Mexicali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 57% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $32.00 in Mexicali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mexicali, where all-in costs run around $1,070, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In Mexicali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,070 in Mexicali to $1,392 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Mexicali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.