Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Mexico City

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,353 a month against $1,548 in Mexico City, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. The total is higher in Mexico City despite lower rent and utilities.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Mexico City
🇲🇽 Mexico
$1,548
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Mexico City

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Mexico City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,548 in Mexico City.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,353
  • Mexico City $1,548

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,436 in Mexico City.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,297
  • Mexico City $2,436

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,241 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,323 in Mexico City.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,241
  • Mexico City $3,323

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 13% less than in Mexico City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Mexico City 14% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Mexico City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
$11.02 MX$204
-70.69%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
$48.68 MX$900
-28.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
$10.90 MX$201
-47.71%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
$3.68 MX$68.1
-28.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
$1.63 MX$30.18
5.52%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$1.25 MX$23.07
-35.20%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
$3.25 MX$60.1
-18.46%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
$5.53 MX$102
-20.98%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Mexico City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.70 MX$31.50
-7.65%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
$3.02 MX$55.8
-27.48%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$1.92 MX$35.53
-38.54%
Eggs
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
$2.73 MX$50.5
-20.88%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
$11.77 MX$218
49.96%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
$9.53 MX$176
-60.34%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
$14.41 MX$266
-17.07%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
$3.02 MX$55.8
19.21%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
$1.89 MX$35.01
-15.87%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
$1.99 MX$36.70
16.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$2.19 MX$40.38
-12.79%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$1.92 MX$35.43
-7.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
$1.87 MX$34.49
24.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
$1.44 MX$26.62
-30.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,509
$1.27 MX$23.39
-58.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
$5.22 MX$96.4
-56.13%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
$16.17 MX$299
36.49%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
$1.90 MX$35.03
23.68%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
$4.22 MX$78.0
-29.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Mexico City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 Rp 4,112
$0.34 MX$6.30
-32.35%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
$19.65 MX$363
-54.71%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,466
$2.00 MX$36.90
-76.50%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,737
$0.52 MX$9.67
-17.31%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
$5.34 MX$98.7
2.43%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$1.52 MX$28.13
-45.39%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
$22.1K MX$408.0K
8.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
$24.5K MX$452.9K
33.76%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Mexico City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
$61.1 MX$1,129
30.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
$28.58 MX$528
-77.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
$34.47 MX$637
-46.04%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Mexico City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
$56.4 MX$1,042
-3.97%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
$24.88 MX$460
-26.53%
Cinema Ticket
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
$6.66 MX$123
-36.19%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Mexico City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$427 MX$7,891
15.37%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
$11.6K MX$215.0K
-51.90%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Mexico City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
$67.8 MX$1,253
-32.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
$52.0 MX$960
-32.72%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
$106 MX$1,959
-26.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
$113 MX$2,080
-30.23%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Mexico City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
$1,025 MX$18.9K
10.42%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$654 MX$12.1K
2.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
$2,308 MX$42.7K
56.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
$1,242 MX$22.9K
37.02%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
$3,613 MX$66.8K
-24.78%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$1,936 MX$35.8K
15.77%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Mexico City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$964 MX$17.8K
-82.74%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
11.3
21.95%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Last update for Mexico City: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$673
Mexico City
$654 2.8% $19
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$287
Mexico City
$318 10.8% $31
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$107
Mexico City
$152 42.9% $46
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Mexico City
$204 91.5% $97
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$105
Mexico City
$124 18% $19
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$63
Mexico City
$70 11.3% $7.1
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Mexico City
$26 106% $13

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,131 in Ubud, Bali and $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mexico City pays 479% 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: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $49.00 in Mexico City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $318 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇲🇽 Mexico City
🕒 Local time
00:23 12:23 AM
10:23 10:23 AM
14 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
9,209,944 Capital
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

MXN, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Mexican Peso exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 USD = 18.48 MXN (100 MXN = 5.41 USD). 1 EUR = 20.77 MXN (100 MXN = 4.81 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Mexico City 16,120 km ≈ 21 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Mexico City

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in Mexico City?
Ubud, Bali and Mexico City differ by about 14% in total monthly costs ($1,353 vs $1,548 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 479% lower in Mexico City. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Mexico City?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,131 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,025 in Mexico City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do commuting costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Mexico City?
A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 121% less than in Mexico City. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ubud, Bali and Mexico City?
Childcare runs $493 in Ubud, Bali versus $427 in Mexico City. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,548 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.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Mexico City?
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.
Is Ubud, Bali or Mexico City safer for residents?
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.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or Mexico City?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Mexico City. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

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