Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Palawan and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Palawan: $784 a month against $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Palawan, Philippines
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Palawan
🇵🇭 Philippines
$784
/mo nomad
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,349
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Palawan and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Palawan and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $784 per month in Palawan vs $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Palawan $784
  • Ubud, Bali $1,349

A couple spends around $1,223 per month in Palawan vs $2,305 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Palawan $1,223
  • Ubud, Bali $2,305

A family of three spends $1,661 per month in Palawan vs $3,261 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

  • Palawan $1,661
  • Ubud, Bali $3,261

Palawan is about 42% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Palawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.48 ₱221
$3.32 Rp 60.3K
4.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$19.38 ₱1,231
$35.64 Rp 646.7K
-45.62%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$3.31 ₱210
$5.53 Rp 100.4K
-40.14%
Cappuccino
$2.52 ₱160
$2.72 Rp 49.3K
-7.35%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 ₱49.48
$1.70 Rp 30.9K
-54.12%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.39 ₱25.05
$0.76 Rp 13.8K
-48.68%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.31 ₱83.0
$2.65 Rp 48.2K
-50.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.15 ₱136
$4.38 Rp 79.5K
-50.91%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Palawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.90 ₱120
$1.49 Rp 27.1K
27.52%
White Bread (500g)
$1.22 ₱77.2
$2.28 Rp 41.3K
-46.49%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.00 ₱63.4
$1.19 Rp 21.6K
-15.97%
Eggs
$2.00 ₱127
$2.04 Rp 36.9K
-1.96%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.91 ₱502
$17.70 Rp 321.2K
-55.31%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.35 ₱276
$3.96 Rp 71.9K
9.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$7.62 ₱484
$12.19 Rp 221.2K
-37.49%
Apples (1kg)
$2.87 ₱182
$3.66 Rp 66.3K
-21.58%
Banana (1kg)
$1.58 ₱100
$1.52 Rp 27.5K
3.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.62 ₱166
$2.23 Rp 40.4K
17.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ₱98.6
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
-21.32%
Potato (1kg)
$2.24 ₱142
$1.85 Rp 33.5K
21.08%
Onion (1kg)
$2.54 ₱161
$2.42 Rp 44.0K
4.96%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.11 ₱70.2
$0.99 Rp 18.0K
12.12%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.75 ₱47.85
$0.51 Rp 9,316
47.06%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.89 ₱184
$2.22 Rp 40.3K
30.18%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.95 ₱442
$22.24 Rp 403.6K
-68.75%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.17 ₱74.0
$2.26 Rp 41.0K
-48.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 ₱126
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
-33.33%
🚌 Getting Around
Palawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 ₱16.37
$0.25 Rp 4,555
4.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$11.46 ₱728
$7.82 Rp 142.0K
46.55%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.81 ₱51.7
$0.44 Rp 7,975
84.09%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.22 ₱13.95
$0.43 Rp 7,804
-48.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.08 ₱132
$5.41 Rp 98.2K
-61.55%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.13 ₱72.0
$0.82 Rp 15.0K
37.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K ₱1.7M
$23.8K Rp 432.6M
9.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$20.7K ₱1.3M
$31.7K Rp 576.1M
-34.68%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Palawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$112 ₱7,092
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
41.25%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$33.36 ₱2,119
$6.45 Rp 117.0K
417.21%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$27.52 ₱1,748
$18.58 Rp 337.1K
48.12%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Palawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$34.20 ₱2,172
$49.48 Rp 897.9K
-30.88%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$4.55 ₱289
$17.65 Rp 320.2K
-74.22%
Cinema Ticket
$5.96 ₱378
$4.27 Rp 77.6K
39.58%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Palawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$153 ₱9,734
$491 Rp 8.9M
-68.75%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$4,354 ₱276.5K
$5,674 Rp 103.0M
-23.26%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Palawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.66 ₱2,963
$44.64 Rp 810.0K
4.53%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$26.57 ₱1,688
$34.95 Rp 634.2K
-23.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$74.4 ₱4,726
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
-6.87%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$54.1 ₱3,437
$79.4 Rp 1.4M
-31.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Palawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$263 ₱16.7K
$1,125 Rp 20.4M
-76.60%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$174 ₱11.1K
$671 Rp 12.2M
-74.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$576 ₱36.6K
$3,565 Rp 64.7M
-83.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 ₱24.8K
$1,723 Rp 31.3M
-77.34%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,321 ₱147.4K
$2,732 Rp 49.6M
-15.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,122 ₱71.2K
$2,284 Rp 41.4M
-50.88%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Palawan
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$164 Rp 3.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.67
13.78
-51.60%

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

Last update for Palawan: October 25, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Groceries & Markets
Palawan
$202
Ubud, Bali
$288 42.5% $86
Accommodation & Living
Palawan
$174
Ubud, Bali
$672 285% $497
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Palawan
$173
Ubud, Bali
$104 39.7% $68
Clothing & Footwear
Palawan
$91
Ubud, Bali
$108 18.4% $17
Eating Out
Palawan
$84
Ubud, Bali
$108 28.9% $24
Sport & Entertainment
Palawan
$46
Ubud, Bali
$58 25.8% $12
Getting Around
Palawan
$14
Ubud, Bali
$11 20.7% $3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $263 in Palawan versus $1,125 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19 in Palawan versus $36 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $202 vs $288 – making Palawan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇵🇭 Palawan
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🕒 Local time
11:55 11:55 AM
11:55 11:55 AM
Same time as Palawan
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
939,594
74,800
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to PHP – Philippine Peso Converter

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 63.51 PHP (100 PHP = 1.57 USD). 1 EUR = 71.18 PHP (100 PHP = 1.4 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18,145 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,337 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.92 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Palawan Ubud, Bali 2,080 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Palawan
  • Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Palawan vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Palawan cheaper than Ubud, Bali?
Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 72%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,176 per month in Palawan and $2,023 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Palawan, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $263 there versus $1,125 in Ubud, Bali.
Which city has cheaper kindergarten?
Kindergarten costs $153 per month in Palawan and $491 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
How do food prices compare in Palawan and in Ubud, Bali?
Groceries cost about 42% more in Ubud, Bali, though the gap depends on what you buy.
Is $1,000 a realistic budget for living in Palawan or in Ubud, Bali?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Palawan, where all-in costs run around $784, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,349. In Palawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Palawan or Ubud, Bali more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Palawan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is safer, Palawan or Ubud, Bali?
Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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