Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Puerto Vallarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Puerto Vallarta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,557 in Puerto Vallarta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,373 in Puerto Vallarta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,190 in Puerto Vallarta.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 9% less than in Puerto Vallarta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Puerto Vallarta 16% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$10.45 MX$181

-65.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$47.75 MX$826

-31.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$9.62 MX$166

-48.54%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$3.49 MX$60.4

-22.35%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$1.79 MX$30.99

-25.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.26 MX$21.73

-44.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.62 MX$45.40

11.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$4.43 MX$76.6

-10.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.64 MX$28.42

10.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$3.56 MX$61.7

-29.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$2.44 MX$42.19

-52.46%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.07 MX$35.75

18.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$11.18 MX$193

31.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$10.37 MX$179

-58.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$16.64 MX$288

-27.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.42 MX$41.93

58.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.44 MX$24.87

8.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.60 MX$27.67

76.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$2.25 MX$38.88

3.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$2.19 MX$37.80

-12.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$3.08 MX$53.2

-28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.49 MX$25.75

-32.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.16 MX$20.12

-32.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$4.22 MX$73.1

-21.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$12.63 MX$218

87.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.98 MX$34.25

40.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$3.36 MX$58.2

-14.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.52 MX$8.92

-48.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$16.16 MX$280

-50.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$2.99 MX$51.7

-84.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$2.61 MX$45.15

-82.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$4.11 MX$71.1

48.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.26 MX$21.74

-37.30%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$15.0K MX$258.8K

74.77%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$22.3K MX$385.7K

44.03%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$95.8 MX$1,657

-16.55%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$23.74 MX$411

-82.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$30.98 MX$536

-24.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$35.32 MX$611

179.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$13.43 MX$232

-50.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$8.14 MX$141

-49.02%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$360 MX$6,225

-15.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$6,276 MX$108.6K

5.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$53.8 MX$931

3.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$32.85 MX$568

16.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$99.7 MX$1,724

-11.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$91.3 MX$1,578

-14.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$994 MX$17.2K

1.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$670 MX$11.6K

0.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$1,987 MX$34.4K

73.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$1,249 MX$21.6K

63.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$5,323 MX$92.1K

-46.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$2,609 MX$45.1K

-13.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,032 MX$17.9K

-83.99%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Puerto Vallarta: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $994 in Puerto Vallarta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puerto Vallarta pays 525% 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 $48.00 in Puerto Vallarta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $318 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

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 Puerto Vallarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Puerto Vallarta earns 525% 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 $994 in Puerto Vallarta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 101% less than in Puerto Vallarta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $360 in Puerto Vallarta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,557 in Puerto Vallarta, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Puerto Vallarta. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Puerto Vallarta, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Puerto Vallarta 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 10% less than in Puerto Vallarta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.