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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $873 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,339 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,805 in Cebu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 61% more expensive than in Cebu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Cebu is 35% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$4.39 ₱271

-21.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$24.30 ₱1,499

33.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$4.53 ₱280

6.84%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.52 ₱155

9.13%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.80 ₱49.51

72.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.42 ₱26.02

78.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.59 ₱97.9

88.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.19 ₱135

75.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$2.26 ₱139

-23.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.51 ₱93.2

62.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.16 ₱71.7

0.86%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.36 ₱146

2.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$12.87 ₱794

12.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$5.38 ₱332

-19.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$7.82 ₱482

53.20%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$3.53 ₱218

5.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.51 ₱93.1

7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$3.29 ₱203

-16.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$2.20 ₱136

1.82%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$2.64 ₱163

-27.27%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$2.46 ₱152

-7.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.00 ₱61.5

6.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.78 ₱48.14

-7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.10 ₱191

6.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$6.43 ₱397

260.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.16 ₱71.8

139.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.24 ₱138

21.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.26 ₱15.83

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$15.36 ₱947

-47.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.81 ₱49.90

-40.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.23 ₱14.08

82.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$2.64 ₱163

135.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.10 ₱67.8

-26.36%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$30.5K ₱1.9M

-12.66%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$27.7K ₱1.7M

16.08%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$95.9 ₱5,914

-18.29%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$34.05 ₱2,100

-88.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$29.86 ₱1,842

-18.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$33.32 ₱2,055

195.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$8.45 ₱521

-24.97%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$5.79 ₱357

-31.09%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$235 ₱14.5K

29.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$3,913 ₱241.3K

69.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$53.1 ₱3,277

1.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$22.65 ₱1,397

66.93%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$76.1 ₱4,692

14.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$55.0 ₱3,389

38.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$508 ₱31.3K

95.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$210 ₱12.9K

221.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$800 ₱49.3K

321.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$389 ₱24.0K

426.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$3,013 ₱185.8K

-6.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$1,950 ₱120.3K

14.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$340 ₱21.0K

-50.88%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Cebu: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $508 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 104% 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 $24.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 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, Sport & Entertainment, Eating Out. The 61% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 104% lower in Cebu. 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 $508 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $873 in Cebu – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 89% 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 $1,408 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 61% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.