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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,618 in Monterrey.

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

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,552 in Monterrey.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 13% less than in Monterrey, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Monterrey 21% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$13.41 MX$234

-74.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$52.7 MX$917

-38.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$10.11 MX$176

-52.13%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$3.73 MX$64.9

-26.27%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.44 MX$25.12

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.00 MX$17.48

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.67 MX$46.47

11.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$4.20 MX$73.1

-8.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.66 MX$28.98

4.82%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$2.72 MX$47.28

-9.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.95 MX$33.93

-40.00%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.66 MX$46.37

-8.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$10.21 MX$178

42.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$8.91 MX$155

-51.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$13.78 MX$240

-13.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$3.04 MX$52.9

22.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.40 MX$24.42

16.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$2.02 MX$35.09

35.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$2.07 MX$36.10

8.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$2.32 MX$40.36

-17.24%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$2.55 MX$44.45

-10.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.51 MX$26.29

-29.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.08 MX$18.80

-33.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$4.25 MX$73.9

-22.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$14.28 MX$249

62.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.79 MX$31.09

55.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$3.18 MX$55.3

-14.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.77 MX$13.44

-64.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$40.89 MX$712

-80.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$1.76 MX$30.58

-72.73%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.99 MX$17.27

-57.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$10.39 MX$181

-40.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.34 MX$23.37

-39.55%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$26.6K MX$463.9K

-0.12%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$25.6K MX$445.0K

25.94%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$121 MX$2,113

-35.43%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$27.40 MX$477

-85.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$29.75 MX$518

-18.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$37.46 MX$652

163.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$21.78 MX$379

-70.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$5.75 MX$100

-30.61%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$348 MX$6,054

-12.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$8,983 MX$156.4K

-26.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$59.1 MX$1,029

-8.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$41.88 MX$729

-9.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$107 MX$1,867

-18.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$128 MX$2,232

-40.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$889 MX$15.5K

11.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$646 MX$11.2K

4.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,577 MX$27.5K

114.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$1,378 MX$24.0K

48.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$4,238 MX$73.8K

-33.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$2,757 MX$48.0K

-19.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,133 MX$19.7K

-85.26%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Monterrey: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $889 in Monterrey. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monterrey pays 578% 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $53.0 in Monterrey. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $296, 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 15% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $1,618 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 578% lower in Monterrey. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $889 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 $32.00 versus $53.0 in Monterrey. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,618 in Monterrey – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,618 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 15% less than in Monterrey. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.