Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Cotabato City Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Cotabato City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $736 in Cotabato City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,158 in Cotabato City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,580 in Cotabato City.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 91% more expensive than Cotabato City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Cotabato City is 45% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Cotabato City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.42 Rp 59.1K
$4.32 ₱262
-20.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96 Rp 570.4K
$24.28 ₱1,469
35.75%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.08 Rp 87.9K
$4.48 ₱271
13.39%
Cappuccino
$2.82 Rp 48.9K
$2.04 ₱123
38.24%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 Rp 23.7K
$0.87 ₱52.4
57.47%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 Rp 12.3K
$0.53 ₱31.86
33.96%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.97 Rp 51.3K
$1.46 ₱88.3
103.42%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 Rp 67.7K
$1.75 ₱106
123.43%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Cotabato City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 Rp 30.2K
$1.07 ₱64.8
63.55%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 Rp 43.5K
$0.34 ₱20.34
641.18%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.21 Rp 20.9K
$0.84 ₱50.9
44.05%
Eggs
$2.33 Rp 40.4K
$2.01 ₱122
15.92%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.50 Rp 250.8K
$6.18 ₱374
134.63%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.36 Rp 75.4K
$3.32 ₱201
31.33%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.05 Rp 208.4K
$7.21 ₱436
67.13%
Apples (1kg)
$3.82 Rp 66.1K
$1.39 ₱84.4
174.82%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 Rp 27.9K
$1.03 ₱62.6
56.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 Rp 46.8K
$1.05 ₱63.3
157.14%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 38.6K
$1.13 ₱68.2
97.35%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 Rp 32.8K
$1.27 ₱77.0
49.61%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 Rp 37.8K
$1.47 ₱89.1
48.30%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 Rp 17.8K
$0.51 ₱30.80
101.96%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 Rp 13.4K
$0.56 ₱33.66
37.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.18 Rp 55.1K
$0.90 ₱54.6
253.33%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.23 Rp 401.9K
$8.28 ₱501
180.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.85 Rp 49.3K
$1.36 ₱82.1
109.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 Rp 47.0K
$1.54 ₱93.3
76.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Cotabato City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rp 5,056
$0.26 ₱15.73
11.54%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.43 Rp 145.8K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.49 Rp 8,400
$0.86 ₱52.0
-43.02%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 7,865
$0.23 ₱13.90
95.65%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.28 Rp 108.6K
$2.11 ₱128
197.63%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 Rp 14.7K
$1.14 ₱68.8
-25.44%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rp 450.9M
$22.3K ₱1.4M
16.65%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K Rp 545.5M
$20.8K ₱1.3M
51.61%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Cotabato City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.8 Rp 1.4M
$106 ₱6,385
-24.41%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.09 Rp 70.7K
$34.24 ₱2,072
-88.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.06 Rp 416.4K
$36.31 ₱2,197
-33.74%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Cotabato City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$96.2 Rp 1.7M
$34.32 ₱2,077
180.27%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.53 Rp 112.9K
$4.33 ₱262
50.81%
Cinema Ticket
$4.13 Rp 71.5K
$3.10 ₱187
33.23%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Cotabato City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$297 Rp 5.1M
$121 ₱7,345
144.49%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,661 Rp 115.3M
$4,335 ₱262.3K
53.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Cotabato City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.0 Rp 950.9K
$45.35 ₱2,744
21.19%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.75 Rp 670.5K
$30.23 ₱1,829
28.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.6 Rp 1.6M
$79.1 ₱4,784
13.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 Rp 1.4M
$68.0 ₱4,112
16.10%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Cotabato City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,018 Rp 17.6M
$266 ₱16.1K
283.03%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$660 Rp 11.4M
$174 ₱10.5K
279.18%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,435 Rp 59.4M
$580 ₱35.1K
491.81%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,053 Rp 35.5M
$392 ₱23.7K
424.22%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,981 Rp 51.6M
$2,222 ₱134.4K
34.15%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,368 Rp 41.0M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Cotabato City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$172 Rp 3.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
9.56
38.91%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for Cotabato City: April 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali and $266 in Cotabato City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $24 in Cotabato City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $147 per month, with Cotabato City 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 Cotabato City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Cotabato City?
Cotabato City wins on cost – living expenses run 91% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Cotabato City the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ubud, Bali vs Cotabato City?
You'd need roughly $2,112 in Ubud, Bali and $1,104 in Cotabato City to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali vs Cotabato City?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $266 in Cotabato City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or Cotabato City?
Supermarket bills run roughly 103% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Ubud, Bali compared to Cotabato City?
All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $736 in Cotabato City – a 91% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or Cotabato City?
At $736 in Cotabato City versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Cotabato City but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Cotabato City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Cotabato City?
Both work as nomad bases, but Cotabato City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $736 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cotabato City hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Cotabato City?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Cotabato City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Cotabato City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 91% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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