Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and San Cristobal de las Casas Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and San Cristobal de las Casas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $980 in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,523 in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,066 in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 40% more expensive than in San Cristobal de las Casas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, San Cristobal de las Casas is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.8K

$6.00 MX$103

-42.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 642.1K

$29.47 MX$505

23.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 100.9K

$6.26 MX$107

-8.79%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.2K

$2.63 MX$45.08

1.52%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.9K

$1.73 MX$29.59

1.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.06 MX$18.22

-17.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.2K

$2.93 MX$50.3

0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 79.9K

$3.55 MX$60.9

27.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.6K

$1.54 MX$26.34

5.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.2K

$3.76 MX$64.5

-38.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.69 MX$28.98

-34.32%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 38.9K

$2.52 MX$43.14

-12.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 312.8K

$6.93 MX$119

155.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.4K

$4.51 MX$77.4

-9.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.3K

$6.85 MX$117

77.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.5K

$3.51 MX$60.2

5.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$2.16 MX$37.02

-26.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.34 MX$40.13

-2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.5K

$1.48 MX$25.30

31.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.71 MX$29.26

11.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.2K

$1.93 MX$33.10

20.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.92 MX$32.88

-47.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,759

$1.74 MX$29.82

-68.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$1.99 MX$34.15

12.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.0K

$11.02 MX$189

109.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$2.48 MX$42.60

-2.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.0K

$2.06 MX$35.29

45.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,807

$0.56 MX$9.61

-51.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 158.9K

$29.16 MX$500

-69.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,554

$2.87 MX$49.26

-83.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,668

$3.00 MX$51.4

-85.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.8K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.49 MX$25.47

-46.31%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.1M

$19.8K MX$339.3K

26.05%

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

$31.7K Rp 560.7M

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$33.92 MX$582

140.15%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.8K

$15.35 MX$263

-57.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 331.9K

$21.29 MX$365

-11.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$23.97 MX$411

137.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.2K

$24.57 MX$421

-23.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.2K

$7.46 MX$128

-39.14%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$217 MX$3,725

121.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.0M

$2,751 MX$47.2K

107.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 804.9K

$20.43 MX$350

122.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 634.5K

$28.92 MX$496

24.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$103 MX$1,758

-21.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$59.3 MX$1,017

32.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$468 MX$8,016

138.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.3M

$338 MX$5,800

106.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.3M

$932 MX$16.0K

290.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.7M

$580 MX$9,944

199.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.2M

$885 MX$15.2K

214.66%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$697 MX$11.9K

228.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$433 MX$7,425

-61.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.8

40.61%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for San Cristobal de las Casas: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $468 in San Cristobal de las Casas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Cristobal de las Casas pays 158% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $29.00 in San Cristobal de las Casas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $257 per month, with San Cristobal de las Casas 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 San Cristobal de las Casas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

San Cristobal de las Casas wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Cristobal de las Casas the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 158% lower in San Cristobal de las Casas. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $468 in San Cristobal de las Casas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in San Cristobal de las Casas runs roughly 225% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $217 in San Cristobal de las Casas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $980 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in San Cristobal de las Casas but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes San Cristobal de las Casas the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San Cristobal de las Casas delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $980 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Cristobal de las Casas hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and San Cristobal de las Casas 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 San Cristobal de las Casas gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.