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 $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,389 in Tijuana, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,157 in Tijuana, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,924 in Tijuana, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 1% more than Tijuana, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Tijuana sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 2%, Tijuana by 1%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$12.70 MX$215

-73.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$36.68 MX$620

5.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$10.70 MX$181

-48.41%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$4.52 MX$76.4

-41.59%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$1.44 MX$24.28

15.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.24 MX$21.03

-37.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$3.63 MX$61.4

-27.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$7.03 MX$119

-39.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.99 MX$33.58

-22.11%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$3.10 MX$52.4

-28.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$1.91 MX$32.28

-40.84%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$3.49 MX$58.9

-40.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.6K

$8.59 MX$145

102.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$7.87 MX$133

-50.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.2K

$12.58 MX$213

-0.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$3.05 MX$51.5

18.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.77 MX$29.83

-11.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$2.09 MX$35.24

12.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.67 MX$28.21

23.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$1.62 MX$27.29

17.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$2.01 MX$33.90

16.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.61 MX$27.29

-36.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,779

$1.09 MX$18.50

-49.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$4.60 MX$77.8

-51.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$8.57 MX$145

177.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$2.36 MX$39.96

-2.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$4.38 MX$74.0

-36.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$1.19 MX$20.14

-77.31%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$33.11 MX$560

-73.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$3.11 MX$52.5

-84.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$2.32 MX$39.28

-80.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$20.62 MX$348

-72.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.58 MX$26.78

-51.90%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.6M

$22.9K MX$386.8K

6.97%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$25.7K MX$435.0K

24.78%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$51.4 MX$869

62.45%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$36.50 MX$617

-82.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.8K

$32.47 MX$549

-41.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.8K

$42.53 MX$719

31.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$8.67 MX$147

114.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$7.02 MX$119

-39.03%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$221 MX$3,730

120.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$5,034 MX$85.1K

16.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$57.0 MX$963

-20.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$48.55 MX$820

-25.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$108 MX$1,833

-24.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$75.2 MX$1,271

6.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$938 MX$15.9K

19.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$512 MX$8,647

37.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$1,641 MX$27.7K

115.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$940 MX$15.9K

87.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$3,312 MX$56.0K

-14.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$2,975 MX$50.3K

-22.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$1,015 MX$17.2K

-83.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

12.07

14.17%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tijuana: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $938 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 498% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $37.00 in Tijuana. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $284 – making Tijuana 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 Tijuana: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 1% 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 $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,084 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 282% less in Tijuana. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $487 per month in Ubud, Bali and $221 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 $1,389, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. 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 $1,389 versus $1,396 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.