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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,228 in Makati versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,025 in Makati versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,822 in Makati versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Makati costs roughly 12% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Makati is 11% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.57 ₱411

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

94.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.99 ₱2,501

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

3.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ₱287

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

-16.85%

Cappuccino

$2.76 ₱173

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

4.55%

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

$1.07 ₱67.2

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

-35.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.45 ₱28.17

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

-41.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 ₱151

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

-7.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 ₱203

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

-24.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ₱115

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

18.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 ₱80.6

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

-41.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ₱64.3

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

-8.85%

Eggs

$2.38 ₱149

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

13.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.31 ₱457

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

-57.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.84 ₱303

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

25.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.19 ₱449

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

-42.71%

Apples (1kg)

$3.98 ₱249

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

9.94%

Banana (1kg)

$2.03 ₱127

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

30.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.26 ₱204

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

38.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.31 ₱144

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

12.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

82.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.47 ₱217

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

48.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.12 ₱70.0

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

8.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₱69.4

$0.55 Rp 9,854

101.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.70 ₱169

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

20.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.86 ₱491

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

-66.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 ₱87.4

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

-39.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₱130

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

-25.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.90 ₱56.1

$0.27 Rp 4,839

233.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.3 ₱3,581

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

561.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.61 ₱38.09

$0.48 Rp 8,554

27.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.10

$0.45 Rp 7,924

-53.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.88 ₱117

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

-67.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ₱78.3

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

64.47%

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

$21.3K ₱1.3M

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

-13.14%

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

$19.7K ₱1.2M

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

-38.68%

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

$154 ₱9,611

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

83.97%

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

$15.78 ₱987

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

144.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$32.11 ₱2,008

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

69.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.6 ₱3,413

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

-2.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.41 ₱901

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

-22.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.39 ₱462

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

72.66%

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

$790 ₱49.4K

$487 Rp 8.6M

62.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,405 ₱463.0K

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

26.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ₱3,741

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

31.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.65 ₱2,354

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

3.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.2 ₱5,137

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

0.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ₱6,468

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

28.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$748 ₱46.8K

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

-32.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$430 ₱26.9K

$701 Rp 12.5M

-38.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,276 ₱142.3K

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

-35.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,080 ₱67.5K

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

-38.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,003 ₱375.4K

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

112.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,832 ₱239.6K

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

67.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$610 ₱38.1K

$170 Rp 3.0M

259.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.5

13.78

-45.57%

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

Last update for Makati: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $748 in Makati and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 259% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $40.00 in Makati vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $231 vs $293, with Makati cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Makati wins on cost – living expenses run 14% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makati the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 259% higher in Makati, 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: $748 in Makati versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,228 per month in Makati versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali – a 14% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makati runs roughly 561% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,228 in Makati versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makati but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Makati the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makati delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,228 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makati hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Makati 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 Makati gentler on the wallet – expenses run 14% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.