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: $1,395 in Ubud, Bali versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,559 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,340 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,724 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,808 in Cebu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 60% more expensive than Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Cebu is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 Rp 59.7K

$4.37 ₱262

-20.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.88 Rp 563.4K

$24.24 ₱1,452

35.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 Rp 87.2K

$4.48 ₱268

13.62%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 47.1K

$2.56 ₱153

7.42%

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

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

$0.85 ₱51.1

62.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$0.43 ₱25.54

65.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 Rp 49.3K

$1.53 ₱91.7

88.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 Rp 66.3K

$2.09 ₱125

85.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

$2.31 ₱138

-22.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 41.9K

$1.52 ₱91.2

61.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

$1.17 ₱69.8

3.42%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 40.9K

$2.38 ₱142

0.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.70 Rp 251.9K

$12.82 ₱768

14.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 Rp 72.7K

$5.35 ₱321

-20.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 Rp 206.9K

$7.52 ₱450

60.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 62.8K

$3.46 ₱207

5.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.5K

$1.46 ₱87.6

10.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

$3.26 ₱195

-16.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 38.9K

$2.25 ₱134

0.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$2.56 ₱154

-25.78%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 39.4K

$2.57 ₱154

-10.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 17.4K

$0.97 ₱58.2

5.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.3K

$0.77 ₱46.22

1.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 Rp 55.6K

$3.27 ₱196

-0.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.06 Rp 412.3K

$6.84 ₱410

251.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 48.7K

$1.16 ₱69.3

144.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 47.8K

$2.33 ₱139

19.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,606

$0.26 ₱15.49

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.24 Rp 141.2K

$15.33 ₱918

-46.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,700

$0.87 ₱52.4

-48.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,298

$0.23 ₱13.67

86.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 Rp 103.2K

$2.71 ₱162

122.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 14.7K

$1.15 ₱68.6

-25.22%

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

$26.1K Rp 446.6M

$30.7K ₱1.8M

-15.15%

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

$31.7K Rp 543.2M

$27.0K ₱1.6M

17.33%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.3M

$96.4 ₱5,774

-18.73%

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

$4.00 Rp 68.5K

$34.40 ₱2,060

-88.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.35 Rp 417.3K

$29.34 ₱1,757

-17.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.8 Rp 1.6M

$33.83 ₱2,026

183.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.46 Rp 110.6K

$8.29 ₱497

-22.07%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 68.7K

$5.78 ₱346

-30.62%

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

$302 Rp 5.2M

$234 ₱14.0K

29.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,545 Rp 112.2M

$3,897 ₱233.4K

67.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 915.5K

$53.6 ₱3,207

-0.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 Rp 660.6K

$22.90 ₱1,372

68.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 Rp 1.5M

$76.6 ₱4,586

16.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$56.2 ₱3,367

40.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 Rp 17.4M

$510 ₱30.5K

99.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 Rp 11.5M

$217 ₱13.0K

209.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,368 Rp 57.7M

$803 ₱48.1K

319.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 Rp 36.1M

$388 ₱23.2K

443.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,001 Rp 51.4M

$3,082 ₱184.6K

-2.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,337 Rp 40.0M

$1,952 ₱116.9K

19.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 Rp 3.0M

$382 ₱22.9K

-53.53%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Cebu: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,016 in Ubud, Bali and $510 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 115% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $24 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $241 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, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Cebu earns 115% 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: $1,016 in Ubud, Bali versus $510 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,395 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $873 in Cebu – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 86% 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 $1,395 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 60% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.