Playa del Carmen vs Ubud: cost of living for digital nomads
Playa del Carmen, Mexico and Ubud, Indonesia, line by line from the catalogue: what a month costs, rent, food, coworking, safety and internet. Every figure links back to its source on the city page.
The short version
- Ubud is about 16% cheaper than Playa del Carmen for a month of nomad living ($1,400 vs $1,670).
- Rent is the biggest gap: $550 in Ubud against $820 in Playa del Carmen.
- Ubud scores higher on safety (8/10 vs 7/10).
- Internet is faster in Playa del Carmen: 80 Mbps typical against 30 Mbps.
- Both have a tropical climate.
Playa del Carmen wins 2 of the measured lines; Ubud wins 5.
| Line | Playa del Carmen | Ubud |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly total (USD) | $1,670 | $1,400 |
| Rent | $820 | $550 |
| Food | $430 | $380 |
| Transport | $50 | $60 |
| Coworking | $130 | $110 |
| Safety (out of 10) | 7/10 | 8/10 |
| Internet (Mbps) | 80 | 30 |
| Climate | tropical | tropical |
| City size | mid | small |
| Setting | coast | inland |
| Nomad score (out of 10) | 9/10 | 9/10 |
Ubud
Bali's wellness-and-yoga nomad hub inland from Canggu — jungle, cafes, strong community.
Compare Playa del Carmen with
Costs are typical monthly figures for one person in USD, from the sources named on each city page; safety and internet are the catalogue's own ratings. Check the city pages for the dates each was last verified.