Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Mexico City Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Mexico City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,467 in Mexico City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,371 in Mexico City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,274 in Mexico City.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 3% less than in Mexico City, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Mexico City 10% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$13.18 MX$228

-72.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$53.9 MX$931

-39.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$9.42 MX$163

-47.45%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$3.55 MX$61.3

-23.66%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$1.62 MX$27.95

-17.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$1.11 MX$19.25

-36.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$3.12 MX$53.9

-6.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$4.63 MX$80.0

-14.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.70 MX$29.40

6.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$2.72 MX$46.97

-7.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.91 MX$33.04

-39.27%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$2.54 MX$43.82

-3.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$10.03 MX$173

46.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$8.09 MX$140

-46.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$11.62 MX$201

4.48%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$2.97 MX$51.3

29.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.81 MX$31.21

-13.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$2.01 MX$34.79

40.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$2.03 MX$35.16

14.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$2.12 MX$36.71

-9.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$2.27 MX$39.21

-3.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$1.40 MX$24.20

-27.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$1.13 MX$19.53

-30.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$4.27 MX$73.8

-22.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$15.56 MX$269

52.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.76 MX$30.36

58.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$3.60 MX$62.1

-20.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.38 MX$6.62

-28.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$19.18 MX$331

-58.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

$1.38 MX$23.77

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$0.28 MX$4.78

60.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$5.45 MX$94.1

11.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.30 MX$22.53

-39.23%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$18.7K MX$322.9K

39.94%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

$23.1K MX$399.7K

38.86%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$40.86 MX$706

95.64%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$26.81 MX$463

-84.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$29.96 MX$518

-21.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$52.0 MX$899

89.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$26.84 MX$464

-75.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$6.30 MX$109

-34.13%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$436 MX$7,536

-30.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$10.4K MX$180.0K

-36.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$56.7 MX$979

-1.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$44.38 MX$767

-13.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$103 MX$1,779

-13.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$106 MX$1,823

-26.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

$1,022 MX$17.7K

-1.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$631 MX$10.9K

7.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$2,136 MX$36.9K

61.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$1,243 MX$21.5K

64.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$3,903 MX$67.4K

-27.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$2,064 MX$35.7K

9.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,115 MX$19.3K

-85.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.34

17.11%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 575% 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: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $54.0 in Mexico City. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $288, with Mexico City 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 Mexico City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Mexico City differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $1,467 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Mexico City earns 575% 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,022 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 139% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $436 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,467 in Mexico City, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Mexico City. 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 Mexico City 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 3% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.