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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,571 in Puerto Vallarta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,412 in Puerto Vallarta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,253 in Puerto Vallarta.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 10% less than in Puerto Vallarta, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Puerto Vallarta 18% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

$10.75 MX$188

-67.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 578.5K

$47.73 MX$835

-32.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

$9.67 MX$169

-49.95%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.1K

$3.47 MX$60.7

-20.75%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$1.81 MX$31.64

-23.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

$1.26 MX$22.09

-40.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.5K

$2.60 MX$45.40

15.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

$4.34 MX$75.9

-11.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.57 MX$27.47

10.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

$3.47 MX$60.7

-29.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

$2.33 MX$40.69

-49.79%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

$1.96 MX$34.31

23.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 259.5K

$11.47 MX$201

26.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 77.8K

$10.32 MX$180

-57.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.3K

$17.00 MX$297

-29.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.5K

$2.42 MX$42.34

53.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$1.41 MX$24.69

15.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

$1.65 MX$28.92

66.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

$2.33 MX$40.79

-3.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

$2.24 MX$39.16

-14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

$3.03 MX$53.0

-24.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

$1.48 MX$25.81

-28.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$1.15 MX$20.16

-37.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

$4.13 MX$72.2

-20.34%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 414.9K

$12.23 MX$214

89.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

$2.06 MX$36.01

34.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

$3.24 MX$56.6

-15.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,765

$0.51 MX$8.93

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.0K

$16.08 MX$281

-49.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,636

$2.97 MX$51.9

-83.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,511

$2.75 MX$48.11

-84.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.3K

$4.32 MX$75.5

43.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.33 MX$23.21

-39.10%

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

$26.6K Rp 476.1M

$15.0K MX$263.0K

76.94%

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

$32.2K Rp 575.9M

$22.0K MX$385.3K

46.07%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$94.2 MX$1,647

-16.82%

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

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

$23.56 MX$412

-82.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 435.2K

$30.94 MX$541

-21.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$36.41 MX$637

170.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.3K

$13.12 MX$229

-51.68%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.3K

$8.15 MX$142

-51.04%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$362 MX$6,327

-15.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 118.8M

$6,410 MX$112.1K

3.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 968.6K

$52.3 MX$915

3.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 676.3K

$33.71 MX$589

12.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$99.3 MX$1,735

-12.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$93.9 MX$1,642

-18.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.7M

$994 MX$17.4K

-0.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.0M

$684 MX$12.0K

-1.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

$1,981 MX$34.6K

70.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

$1,278 MX$22.3K

60.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

$5,369 MX$93.9K

-47.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.8M

$2,565 MX$44.8K

-13.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$914 MX$16.0K

-81.73%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Puerto Vallarta: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $994 in Puerto Vallarta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puerto Vallarta pays 447% 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 $48.00 in Puerto Vallarta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $317 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 12% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 447% lower in Puerto Vallarta. 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 $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 98% less than in Puerto Vallarta. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $362 in Puerto Vallarta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,571 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 12% less than in Puerto Vallarta. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.