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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $754 in Cotabato City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,149 in Cotabato City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,544 in Cotabato City.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 83% more expensive than in Cotabato City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Cotabato City is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$4.92 ₱307

-32.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 631.0K

$16.52 ₱1,030

116.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.2K

$4.11 ₱256

36.98%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.15 ₱134

31.16%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$1.08 ₱67.6

62.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.70 ₱43.73

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.13 ₱70.5

169.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$1.89 ₱118

127.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$2.04 ₱127

-21.08%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 40.0K

$1.09 ₱68.2

108.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$0.83 ₱51.7

40.96%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.94 ₱121

11.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.6K

$6.87 ₱429

156.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$4.16 ₱259

-2.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.6K

$8.49 ₱530

43.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.62 ₱163

38.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.13 ₱70.2

45.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.31 ₱144

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.20 ₱75.0

63.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$2.14 ₱134

-14.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.8K

$3.48 ₱217

-31.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.19 ₱74.5

-11.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,564

$0.68 ₱42.37

-20.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.55 ₱159

-9.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.5K

$7.93 ₱495

191.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.30 ₱80.9

80.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$1.59 ₱99.0

93.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,366

$0.25 ₱15.46

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$11.14 ₱695

-15.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,635

$0.82 ₱50.9

-40.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,352

$0.23 ₱14.24

104.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.7K

$1.90 ₱118

194.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.17 ₱73.1

-30.77%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.5M

$21.6K ₱1.3M

15.54%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.2M

$19.0K ₱1.2M

63.91%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$108 ₱6,720

-23.24%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.3K

$19.17 ₱1,195

-66.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 331.0K

$31.98 ₱1,994

-41.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 973.0K

$32.42 ₱2,021

70.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.8K

$4.93 ₱308

269.37%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.86 ₱303

-11.52%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$109 ₱6,783

354.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$7,655 ₱477.3K

-22.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 815.2K

$32.37 ₱2,019

42.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.9K

$19.46 ₱1,214

87.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$71.7 ₱4,470

12.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$61.7 ₱3,845

27.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$269 ₱16.8K

313.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$175 ₱10.9K

295.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$505 ₱31.5K

619.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.2M

$358 ₱22.3K

378.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,636 ₱164.4K

4.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,030 ₱64.2K

122.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.31

65.82%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Cotabato City: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $269 in Cotabato City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $17.00 in Cotabato City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $196 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

Cotabato City wins on cost – living expenses run 83% 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.

You'd need roughly $2,067 in Ubud, Bali and $1,131 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $269 in Cotabato City. 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 $754 in Cotabato City – a 83% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Cotabato City runs roughly 18% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $754 in Cotabato City versus $1,378 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.

Both work as nomad bases, but Cotabato City delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $754 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Cotabato City hard to pass up.

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.

Expats usually find Cotabato City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 83% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.