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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,601 in Monterrey.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,585 in Monterrey.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,568 in Monterrey.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 11% less than in Monterrey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Monterrey 20% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$13.01 MX$226

-72.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$53.8 MX$932

-39.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$10.21 MX$177

-51.52%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$3.68 MX$63.8

-26.36%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.46 MX$25.34

-8.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.00 MX$17.31

-30.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$2.70 MX$46.70

8.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$4.27 MX$74.0

-7.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.67 MX$28.86

8.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$2.68 MX$46.43

-5.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.93 MX$33.41

-39.90%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.63 MX$45.57

-6.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$10.34 MX$179

42.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$9.22 MX$160

-53.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$13.84 MX$240

-12.28%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$3.15 MX$54.6

21.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.39 MX$24.06

12.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$2.00 MX$34.65

41.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$2.14 MX$37.10

8.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$2.27 MX$39.26

-15.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$2.54 MX$44.08

-13.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.57 MX$27.14

-35.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$1.07 MX$18.53

-27.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$4.25 MX$73.6

-21.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$14.36 MX$249

65.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.78 MX$30.87

56.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$3.14 MX$54.5

-8.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.80 MX$13.89

-66.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$40.54 MX$703

-80.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$1.68 MX$29.11

-72.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.94 MX$16.31

-52.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$10.76 MX$186

-43.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.37 MX$23.72

-42.34%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$26.7K MX$463.4K

-2.22%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$25.6K MX$443.3K

25.55%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$122 MX$2,108

-34.29%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$27.19 MX$471

-85.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$29.82 MX$517

-21.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$38.49 MX$667

156.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$21.46 MX$372

-69.11%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$5.92 MX$103

-29.90%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$346 MX$5,990

-12.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$8,997 MX$155.9K

-26.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$58.4 MX$1,012

-4.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$42.55 MX$737

-9.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$109 MX$1,896

-19.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$129 MX$2,235

-39.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$913 MX$15.8K

10.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$647 MX$11.2K

4.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$1,565 MX$27.1K

119.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$1,401 MX$24.3K

45.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$4,371 MX$75.7K

-35.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$2,839 MX$49.2K

-20.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,104 MX$19.1K

-85.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.55

14.98%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $913 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 568% 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 Monterrey. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $298, with Monterrey 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 Monterrey: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Monterrey differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $1,601 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Monterrey earns 568% 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 $913 in Monterrey. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $54.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,601 in Monterrey – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,601 in Monterrey, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Monterrey. 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 Monterrey 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 13% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.