Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and San Miguel de Allende Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and San Miguel de Allende

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,660 in San Miguel de Allende, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,670 in San Miguel de Allende, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,679 in San Miguel de Allende, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 15% cheaper than San Miguel de Allende, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and San Miguel de Allende sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 6%, San Miguel de Allende by 24%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.56 Rp 63.7K
$10.77 MX$186
-66.95%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.73 Rp 584.5K
$47.51 MX$822
-31.11%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.95 Rp 88.4K
$7.99 MX$138
-38.05%
Cappuccino
$2.71 Rp 48.4K
$3.62 MX$62.6
-25.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 24.0K
$1.33 MX$22.93
0.75%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 Rp 12.5K
$1.03 MX$17.77
-32.04%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 Rp 52.1K
$2.86 MX$49.46
2.10%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 Rp 70.7K
$5.08 MX$87.8
-22.05%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 Rp 32.3K
$1.35 MX$23.41
34.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 Rp 45.0K
$3.88 MX$67.1
-35.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 Rp 20.7K
$1.85 MX$31.99
-37.30%
Eggs
$2.46 Rp 43.9K
$2.56 MX$44.27
-3.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.71 Rp 262.7K
$7.98 MX$138
84.34%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.32 Rp 77.1K
$14.05 MX$243
-69.25%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.14 Rp 216.7K
$17.93 MX$310
-32.29%
Apples (1kg)
$3.84 Rp 68.6K
$4.22 MX$73.0
-9.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 Rp 27.8K
$1.72 MX$29.77
-9.30%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 Rp 50.6K
$3.12 MX$53.9
-9.29%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.5K
$2.77 MX$47.88
-15.88%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.2K
$2.46 MX$42.62
-22.36%
Onion (1kg)
$2.20 Rp 39.3K
$3.13 MX$54.1
-29.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 Rp 18.1K
$1.63 MX$28.17
-38.04%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 Rp 13.8K
$1.26 MX$21.75
-38.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.32 Rp 59.2K
$4.15 MX$71.8
-20.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.74 Rp 423.9K
$17.24 MX$298
37.70%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 Rp 49.8K
$2.42 MX$41.88
15.29%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 Rp 51.1K
$3.59 MX$62.1
-20.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,800
$0.41 MX$7.06
-34.15%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.03 Rp 143.4K
$6.30 MX$109
27.46%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.46 Rp 8,150
$4.29 MX$74.1
-89.28%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,037
$0.30 MX$5.21
50.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 Rp 108.9K
$7.97 MX$138
-23.46%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$1.30 MX$22.52
-39.23%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rp 467.0M
$18.3K MX$316.3K
43.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K Rp 573.6M
$21.3K MX$368.9K
50.59%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$58.8 MX$1,016
36.07%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.06 Rp 72.6K
$21.58 MX$373
-81.19%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52 Rp 420.0K
$34.20 MX$592
-31.23%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.7 Rp 1.8M
$46.84 MX$810
110.72%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.63 Rp 118.4K
$39.84 MX$689
-83.36%
Cinema Ticket
$4.15 Rp 74.1K
$6.94 MX$120
-40.20%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 Rp 5.4M
$341 MX$5,897
-10.85%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,613 Rp 118.1M
$4,844 MX$83.8K
36.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.5 Rp 991.8K
$62.6 MX$1,083
-11.28%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.31 Rp 684.1K
$57.1 MX$988
-32.92%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 Rp 1.6M
$111 MX$1,921
-20.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$142 MX$2,455
-45.13%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 Rp 18.0M
$1,105 MX$19.1K
-8.90%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$675 Rp 12.1M
$730 MX$12.6K
-7.52%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,442 Rp 61.5M
$2,537 MX$43.9K
35.66%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,039 Rp 36.4M
$1,566 MX$27.1K
30.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,841 Rp 50.7M
$2,890 MX$50.0K
-1.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,264 Rp 40.4M
$1,717 MX$29.7K
31.89%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
San Miguel de Allende
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
$662 MX$11.4K
-75.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
12.17
9.12%

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 Miguel de Allende: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,105 in San Miguel de Allende. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 301% higher in San Miguel de Allende, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $48.00 in San Miguel de Allende. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $365 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Miguel de Allende: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or San Miguel de Allende?
San Miguel de Allende costs about 17% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ubud, Bali vs San Miguel de Allende?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,491 in San Miguel de Allende. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Ubud, Bali or San Miguel de Allende?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and San Miguel de Allende?
Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $341 in San Miguel de Allende. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or San Miguel de Allende?
Groceries cost about 21% more in San Miguel de Allende, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or San Miguel de Allende?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,419, than in San Miguel de Allende at $1,660. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in San Miguel de Allende it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or San Miguel de Allende?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,419 versus $1,660 in San Miguel de Allende. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to San Miguel de Allende?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Ubud, Bali or San Miguel de Allende?
If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Miguel de Allende makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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