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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $797 in Boracay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,392 in Boracay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,987 in Boracay.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 77% more expensive than in Boracay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Boracay is 40% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$3.16 ₱194

9.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$21.07 ₱1,297

53.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$4.81 ₱296

0.62%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.37 ₱146

16.03%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$1.27 ₱78.4

8.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.26 ₱15.86

188.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$1.31 ₱80.5

128.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.17 ₱134

77.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.80 ₱111

-3.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.26 ₱77.4

95.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.87 ₱53.8

34.48%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$2.60 ₱160

-6.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$7.88 ₱485

84.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$4.13 ₱254

5.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$7.83 ₱482

53.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$2.99 ₱184

24.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.48 ₱91.2

10.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$2.58 ₱159

6.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.44 ₱88.6

55.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$1.79 ₱110

7.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$2.60 ₱160

-12.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.06 ₱65.2

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.71 ₱43.94

1.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$3.87 ₱238

-14.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$8.26 ₱508

180.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.21 ₱74.6

129.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$2.02 ₱125

35.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.36 ₱22.34

-25.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$0.82 ₱50.7

-41.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$0.24 ₱14.80

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$2.07 ₱127

200.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.28 ₱78.7

-36.72%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$26.6K ₱1.6M

0.05%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

56.99%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$117 ₱7,185

-32.86%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$8.78 ₱540

-53.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$39.13 ₱2,409

-37.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$53.7 ₱3,306

83.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$4.30 ₱265

47.44%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$4.23 ₱261

-5.67%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$149 ₱9,180

104.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$4,041 ₱248.8K

64.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$46.67 ₱2,873

16.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$26.65 ₱1,641

41.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$75.6 ₱4,654

14.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$52.9 ₱3,253

44.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$261 ₱16.1K

280.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$179 ₱11.0K

276.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$581 ₱35.7K

481.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$742 ₱45.7K

176.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$2,397 ₱147.6K

17.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$957 ₱58.9K

132.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$238 ₱14.7K

-29.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.67

99.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Boracay: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $261 in Boracay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Boracay pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $21.00 in Boracay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $204 per month, with Boracay 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

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

Ubud, Bali and Boracay differ by about 77% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $797 including rent). Boracay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 43% lower in Boracay. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $261 in Boracay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $149 in Boracay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Boracay – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $797 in Boracay versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Boracay but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Boracay the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Boracay 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 Boracay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.