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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,247 in Tijuana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,953 in Tijuana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,660 in Tijuana, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 13% more than Tijuana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Tijuana is 7% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$12.22 MX$213

-71.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$32.13 MX$560

0.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$7.74 MX$135

-37.47%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$3.95 MX$68.8

-30.38%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$1.11 MX$19.27

24.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.90 MX$15.69

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.83 MX$49.26

5.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$4.97 MX$86.5

-22.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.64 MX$28.49

6.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$2.50 MX$43.53

-1.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.73 MX$30.08

-32.37%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$3.11 MX$54.1

-21.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$7.30 MX$127

98.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$5.83 MX$101

-25.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$10.36 MX$180

15.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.66 MX$46.36

39.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.56 MX$27.23

4.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.84 MX$32.12

48.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.58 MX$27.47

41.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.64 MX$28.52

17.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.79 MX$31.09

27.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.05 MX$18.31

0.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.98 MX$17.12

-26.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$4.22 MX$73.4

-22.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$8.31 MX$145

179.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.86 MX$32.36

49.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$3.33 MX$57.9

-18.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.98 MX$17.05

-72.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$18.65 MX$325

-56.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$2.79 MX$48.58

-82.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$2.92 MX$50.8

-85.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$3.23 MX$56.3

92.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.31 MX$22.76

-38.17%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$23.2K MX$403.3K

14.90%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$20.3K MX$353.2K

58.67%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$57.6 MX$1,003

35.95%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$27.63 MX$481

-85.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$30.74 MX$535

-20.85%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$37.94 MX$661

159.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$19.47 MX$339

-67.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$4.44 MX$77.3

-10.14%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$209 MX$3,644

45.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$2,720 MX$47.4K

144.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$42.44 MX$739

27.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$34.48 MX$600

9.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$86.7 MX$1,509

0.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$68.3 MX$1,190

11.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$786 MX$13.7K

26.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$512 MX$8,912

31.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,560 MX$27.2K

116.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$987 MX$17.2K

107.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$3,251 MX$56.6K

-13.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$2,900 MX$50.5K

-23.21%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$961 MX$16.7K

-82.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.8

12.54%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tijuana: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $786 in Tijuana. 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 475% higher in Tijuana, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $32.00 in Tijuana. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $238 in Tijuana – so Tijuana wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Tijuana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 13% more than Tijuana, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,870 in Tijuana. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tijuana, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 130% less in Tijuana. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $209 in Tijuana. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Tijuana, where all-in costs run around $1,247, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Tijuana it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Tijuana costs $1,247 versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Tijuana. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.