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: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $855 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,331 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,806 in Dumaguete.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 63% more expensive than Dumaguete, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Dumaguete is 36% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

$3.14 ₱189

8.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

$14.34 ₱864

125.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

$4.51 ₱272

10.86%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

$2.25 ₱135

25.33%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$0.73 ₱44.13

89.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.40 ₱23.79

82.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$1.09 ₱65.7

173.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

$2.10 ₱127

89.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

$1.69 ₱102

5.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$1.46 ₱88.1

68.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

$1.01 ₱60.7

18.81%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

$1.91 ₱115

25.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

$9.69 ₱584

48.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

$5.04 ₱303

-15.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

$7.98 ₱481

48.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

$1.80 ₱108

110.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$1.45 ₱87.4

12.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

$3.97 ₱239

-29.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

$1.40 ₱84.0

61.43%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

$2.35 ₱141

-14.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$2.59 ₱156

-14.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

$0.93 ₱56.0

15.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.63 ₱38.03

20.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

$2.59 ₱156

20.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

$7.98 ₱481

198.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

$1.18 ₱71.1

140.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

$1.97 ₱119

41.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,726

$0.51 ₱30.73

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

$9.08 ₱547

-7.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,034

$0.78 ₱47.25

-42.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,578

$0.25 ₱15.03

72.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

$0.85 ₱51.4

603.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.09 ₱65.9

-26.61%

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

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

$22.8K ₱1.4M

13.13%

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

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

$38.7K ₱2.3M

-17.72%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$73.8 ₱4,447

9.34%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

$44.00 ₱2,650

-90.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

$29.11 ₱1,753

-17.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$23.36 ₱1,407

318.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

$3.58 ₱215

85.47%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

$6.19 ₱373

-34.73%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$72.0 ₱4,336

312.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

$1,870 ₱112.6K

252.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

$105 ₱6,311

-47.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

$35.24 ₱2,122

9.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$111 ₱6,706

-22.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$84.9 ₱5,113

-8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.5M

$246 ₱14.8K

301.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$212 ₱12.8K

213.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

$434 ₱26.1K

694.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

$418 ₱25.2K

388.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

$3,190 ₱192.1K

-11.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

$699 ₱42.1K

226.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$292 ₱17.6K

-42.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.5

104.31%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $246 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dumaguete pays 73% 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 $14.00 in Dumaguete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $211 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 63% in total monthly costs ($1,394 vs $855 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Dumaguete earns 73% less. 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: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $246 in Dumaguete. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $855 in Dumaguete – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 8% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $855 in Dumaguete versus $1,394 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 63% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.