Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Tampico Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Tampico

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,326 in Tampico.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,040 in Tampico.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,754 in Tampico.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 3% more expensive than in Tampico, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Tampico is 3% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$8.55 MX$147

-59.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$45.85 MX$791

-20.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$8.64 MX$149

-33.91%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.23 MX$55.6

-17.34%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.34 MX$23.10

30.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.90 MX$15.48

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.95 MX$50.9

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$4.32 MX$74.6

4.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.60 MX$27.62

1.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$4.43 MX$76.4

-47.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.49 MX$25.68

-25.50%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$4.36 MX$75.2

-49.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$5.33 MX$92.0

231.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$10.84 MX$187

-62.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$14.22 MX$245

-14.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$3.65 MX$62.9

1.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.27 MX$21.82

25.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.26 MX$39.05

0.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$2.39 MX$41.22

-18.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$2.27 MX$39.11

-15.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$3.02 MX$52.1

-22.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$2.28 MX$39.27

-55.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.95 MX$16.39

-42.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$4.56 MX$78.7

-51.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$11.16 MX$192

106.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.97 MX$34.00

22.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$3.14 MX$54.1

-4.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.84 MX$14.42

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$29.39 MX$507

-69.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$2.73 MX$47.00

-82.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$2.88 MX$49.58

-85.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$12.02 MX$207

-53.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.42 MX$24.52

-43.66%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$34.8K MX$599.9K

-28.31%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$25.5K MX$439.6K

24.39%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$61.5 MX$1,060

32.46%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$29.63 MX$511

-78.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$25.15 MX$434

-25.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$45.40 MX$783

25.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$17.20 MX$297

8.90%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$5.51 MX$95.0

-17.60%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$246 MX$4,236

95.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$4,846 MX$83.6K

17.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$78.8 MX$1,359

-42.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$70.7 MX$1,218

-49.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$178 MX$3,070

-54.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$90.9 MX$1,567

-13.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$558 MX$9,623

99.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$412 MX$7,099

69.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,092 MX$18.8K

233.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$701 MX$12.1K

147.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$1,810 MX$31.2K

53.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$1,393 MX$24.0K

64.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$587 MX$10.1K

-71.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.3

21.95%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tampico: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $558 in Tampico. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tampico pays 249% 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 $46.00 in Tampico for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $315 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 Tampico: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Tampico differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $1,326 including rent). Tampico is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 249% lower in Tampico. 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 $558 in Tampico. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 7% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Tampico – a meal for two runs $46.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,326 in Tampico versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tampico but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Tampico the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Tampico 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 Tampico gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.