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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $873 in Cebu versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,339 in Cebu versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,805 in Cebu versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Cebu costs roughly 38% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cebu is 35% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.39 ₱271

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

27.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.30 ₱1,499

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

-24.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.53 ₱280

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

-6.40%

Cappuccino

$2.52 ₱155

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

-8.36%

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

$0.80 ₱49.51

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

-42.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱26.02

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.59 ₱97.9

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

-46.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ₱135

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

-43.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ₱139

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

29.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 ₱93.2

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

-38.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ₱71.7

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

-0.85%

Eggs

$2.36 ₱146

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

-2.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ₱794

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

-11.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.38 ₱332

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

23.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.82 ₱482

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

-34.72%

Apples (1kg)

$3.53 ₱218

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

-5.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 ₱93.1

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

-7.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.29 ₱203

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

20.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ₱136

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-1.79%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 ₱163

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

37.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.46 ₱152

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

7.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.00 ₱61.5

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ₱48.14

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 ₱191

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

-5.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.43 ₱397

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

-72.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 ₱71.8

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-58.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 ₱138

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

-17.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.26 ₱15.83

$0.27 Rp 4,786

-3.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.36 ₱947

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

89.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 ₱49.90

$0.48 Rp 8,675

68.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ₱14.08

$0.42 Rp 7,545

-45.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.64 ₱163

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

-57.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ₱67.8

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

35.80%

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

$30.5K ₱1.9M

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

14.49%

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

$27.7K ₱1.7M

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

-13.85%

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

$95.9 ₱5,914

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

22.39%

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

$34.05 ₱2,100

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

736.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.86 ₱1,842

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

22.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$33.32 ₱2,055

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-66.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.45 ₱521

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

33.28%

Cinema Ticket

$5.79 ₱357

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

45.11%

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

$235 ₱14.5K

$305 Rp 5.5M

-22.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,913 ₱241.3K

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

-41.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ₱3,277

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

-1.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.65 ₱1,397

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

-40.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.1 ₱4,692

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-12.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.0 ₱3,389

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-28.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$508 ₱31.3K

$992 Rp 17.8M

-48.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ₱12.9K

$673 Rp 12.1M

-68.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$800 ₱49.3K

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

-76.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$389 ₱24.0K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-81.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,013 ₱185.8K

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

7.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,950 ₱120.3K

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

-12.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$340 ₱21.0K

$167 Rp 3.0M

103.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-39.76%

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

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $508 in Cebu and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 104% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $24.00 in Cebu vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $297 per month, with Cebu 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

Cebu vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 104% higher in Cebu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $508 in Cebu versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $873 per month in Cebu versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 89% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $873 in Cebu versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cebu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cebu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cebu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Cebu and Ubud, Bali 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 Cebu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.