Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Dumaguete Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Dumaguete

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $806 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,208 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,611 in Dumaguete.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 70% more expensive than in Dumaguete, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Dumaguete is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$3.73 ₱234

-7.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$15.69 ₱984

131.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$4.26 ₱267

34.04%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.32 ₱145

15.09%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.76 ₱47.96

130.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.43 ₱27.06

102.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.38 ₱86.5

113.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$1.89 ₱119

139.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.67 ₱105

-2.99%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.32 ₱82.9

76.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.93 ₱58.5

19.35%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.74 ₱109

26.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$8.53 ₱535

107.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$4.30 ₱270

-4.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$7.22 ₱453

68.70%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$1.61 ₱101

130.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.29 ₱81.0

23.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$3.55 ₱222

-35.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.30 ₱81.6

50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$2.51 ₱157

-23.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.32 ₱145

0.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.77 ₱48.10

31.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.58 ₱36.52

-5.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$2.40 ₱150

-7.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$8.79 ₱551

162.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.13 ₱71.2

114.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.30 ₱81.3

130.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.38 ₱23.98

-28.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$10.12 ₱635

-11.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$0.70 ₱43.63

-31.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.15 ₱9.33

186.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$2.10 ₱132

168.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.98 ₱61.7

-18.37%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

22.36%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$24.7K ₱1.5M

28.54%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$67.5 ₱4,235

20.65%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$9.72 ₱610

-33.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$26.66 ₱1,672

-29.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$24.38 ₱1,529

133.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$4.07 ₱255

360.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$6.96 ₱437

-34.77%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$59.2 ₱3,715

711.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$1,674 ₱105.0K

241.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$97.1 ₱6,089

-53.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$32.32 ₱2,027

11.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$99.4 ₱6,234

-19.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$113 ₱7,105

-30.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$234 ₱14.7K

375.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$209 ₱13.1K

234.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$434 ₱27.2K

738.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$357 ₱22.4K

386.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$3,061 ₱192.0K

-9.04%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$668 ₱41.9K

242.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$279 ₱17.5K

-39.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

96.86%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $234 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dumaguete pays 66% 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 $16.00 in Dumaguete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $194 per month, with Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Dumaguete differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $806 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 66% lower in Dumaguete. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $234 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $806 in Dumaguete – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 13% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $806 in Dumaguete versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Dumaguete but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Dumaguete the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Dumaguete 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 Dumaguete gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.