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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $894 in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,365 in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,835 in San Cristobal de las Casas.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 59% more expensive than San Cristobal de las Casas, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, San Cristobal de las Casas is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$5.23 MX$90.4

-31.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$26.82 MX$464

22.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$5.66 MX$97.8

-12.54%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.38 MX$41.09

13.87%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$1.61 MX$27.88

-16.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.99 MX$17.20

-29.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.33 MX$40.23

25.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$4.72 MX$81.6

-16.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.45 MX$25.11

24.83%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$3.05 MX$52.7

-17.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.48 MX$25.56

-21.62%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$3.58 MX$62.0

-31.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$7.05 MX$122

108.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$4.04 MX$69.8

6.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$7.23 MX$125

67.91%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$3.18 MX$55.0

20.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.93 MX$33.32

-19.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.68 MX$29.05

68.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.44 MX$24.97

61.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.70 MX$29.46

12.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.39 MX$24.06

58.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.44 MX$24.91

-29.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.31 MX$22.71

-40.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$1.81 MX$31.34

83.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$10.76 MX$186

120.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.94 MX$33.54

43.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.36 MX$40.75

21.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.55 MX$9.60

-50.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$26.61 MX$460

-69.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$2.63 MX$45.41

-82.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$2.40 MX$41.59

-81.25%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$8.26 MX$143

-26.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.34 MX$23.11

-41.04%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$15.7K MX$272.0K

66.26%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$22.8K MX$394.8K

40.70%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$32.62 MX$564

145.06%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$19.87 MX$344

-79.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$19.36 MX$335

21.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$21.73 MX$376

354.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$15.94 MX$276

-58.41%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$6.67 MX$115

-37.78%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$198 MX$3,417

53.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$2,562 MX$44.3K

158.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$26.22 MX$454

111.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$32.14 MX$556

19.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$83.1 MX$1,437

6.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$51.6 MX$892

50.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$415 MX$7,185

142.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$306 MX$5,292

120.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$837 MX$14.5K

311.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$516 MX$8,918

295.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$855 MX$14.8K

232.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$688 MX$11.9K

229.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$425 MX$7,344

-61.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.33

28.56%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for San Cristobal de las Casas: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $415 in San Cristobal de las Casas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Cristobal de las Casas pays 157% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $27.00 in San Cristobal de las Casas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $235 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 59% 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, San Cristobal de las Casas earns 157% 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 $415 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 231% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $198 in San Cristobal de las Casas. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $894 in San Cristobal de las Casas versus $1,419 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 $894 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 59% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.