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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $924 in Cebu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,414 in Cebu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,905 in Cebu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 49% more expensive than in Cebu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Cebu is 33% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.07 ₱192

8.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$23.18 ₱1,453

54.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$4.04 ₱253

39.36%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.49 ₱156

13.25%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$1.52 ₱95.3

15.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.49 ₱30.70

63.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.80 ₱113

68.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.29 ₱144

87.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.92 ₱121

-16.15%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.39 ₱87.3

63.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.01 ₱63.6

15.84%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.03 ₱127

6.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$9.87 ₱619

78.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.52 ₱283

-10.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$7.59 ₱476

60.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.34 ₱209

8.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.40 ₱87.7

17.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.41 ₱151

-4.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.55 ₱97.1

26.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$2.46 ₱154

-25.20%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.91 ₱120

24.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.23 ₱76.9

-14.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.62 ₱38.80

-12.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.87 ₱180

-19.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$6.30 ₱395

266.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.30 ₱81.2

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.75 ₱110

75.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.23 ₱14.30

8.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$12.66 ₱794

-25.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$0.75 ₱46.79

-34.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.23 ₱14.42

104.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$4.33 ₱272

29.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.26 ₱79.3

-35.71%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$21.1K ₱1.3M

18.50%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$19.6K ₱1.2M

58.37%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$121 ₱7,586

-31.64%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$15.07 ₱944

-56.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$27.29 ₱1,711

-31.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$32.26 ₱2,022

71.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$6.38 ₱400

185.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.63 ₱353

-23.62%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$281 ₱17.6K

75.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$8,117 ₱508.9K

-27.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$49.04 ₱3,074

-5.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$24.72 ₱1,550

47.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$77.9 ₱4,886

3.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$58.3 ₱3,656

35.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$503 ₱31.5K

121.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$307 ₱19.2K

126.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$1,086 ₱68.1K

235.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$632 ₱39.6K

170.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,868 ₱179.8K

-3.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,891 ₱118.5K

21.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$346 ₱21.7K

-51.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

7.2

91.39%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cebu: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $503 in Cebu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Cebu pays 107% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $23.00 in Cebu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $209 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 49% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 107% 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $503 in Cebu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $924 in Cebu – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cebu runs roughly 34% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $924 in Cebu versus $1,378 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 49% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.