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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,326 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,778 in Cebu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 63% more expensive than Cebu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Cebu is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$4.33 ₱267

-17.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$24.14 ₱1,490

35.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.3K

$4.36 ₱269

13.53%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$2.57 ₱159

5.45%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$0.84 ₱52.1

59.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.43 ₱26.38

62.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$1.53 ₱94.6

90.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$2.11 ₱130

87.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$2.21 ₱137

-18.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.50 ₱92.7

68.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.11 ₱68.8

4.50%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$2.33 ₱144

5.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$13.03 ₱804

12.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$5.35 ₱330

-19.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$7.50 ₱463

61.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$3.57 ₱220

7.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.45 ₱89.5

7.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$3.39 ₱209

-16.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$2.18 ₱135

6.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$2.59 ₱160

-26.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$2.48 ₱153

-11.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$0.92 ₱56.7

9.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.79 ₱49.00

-1.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$3.11 ₱192

6.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.1K

$6.52 ₱402

264.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.21 ₱74.5

130.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$2.32 ₱143

23.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.28 ₱17.43

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$15.00 ₱926

-46.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,231

$0.84 ₱51.6

-45.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,117

$0.25 ₱15.46

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$2.69 ₱166

126.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.09 ₱67.2

-27.52%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$30.1K ₱1.9M

-13.12%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.3M

$27.0K ₱1.7M

18.98%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$95.4 ₱5,886

-16.17%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$33.83 ₱2,088

-88.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.2K

$29.78 ₱1,838

-21.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$32.91 ₱2,031

199.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$8.43 ₱520

-21.35%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$5.84 ₱361

-28.94%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$233 ₱14.4K

30.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$3,894 ₱240.3K

69.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$53.5 ₱3,300

3.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$22.75 ₱1,404

68.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$76.7 ₱4,734

15.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$54.5 ₱3,362

42.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.2M

$515 ₱31.8K

95.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$209 ₱12.9K

223.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$805 ₱49.7K

327.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$397 ₱24.5K

413.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$2,955 ₱182.4K

-3.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$1,923 ₱118.7K

17.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$364 ₱22.5K

-54.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

66.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Cebu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $515 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 120% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $240 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

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

Cebu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cebu earns 120% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $515 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $873 in Cebu – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 87% 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 $1,419 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, Ubud, Bali and Cebu 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 63% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.