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: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $849 in Dumaguete.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,324 in Dumaguete.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,799 in Dumaguete.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 69% more expensive than Dumaguete, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 7% above, Dumaguete is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$3.14 ₱193

13.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$13.99 ₱863

132.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$4.35 ₱269

16.55%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.22 ₱137

27.48%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.77 ₱47.78

74.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.40 ₱24.47

72.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.08 ₱66.6

176.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.12 ₱131

81.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.69 ₱104

2.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.46 ₱90.3

73.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.00 ₱61.7

19.00%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$1.92 ₱118

26.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$9.50 ₱586

54.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$5.12 ₱316

-18.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$7.68 ₱474

55.47%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$1.79 ₱111

106.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.45 ₱89.5

11.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$3.95 ₱244

-31.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.39 ₱85.6

67.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$2.47 ₱152

-22.67%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$2.64 ₱163

-17.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$0.85 ₱52.7

24.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.60 ₱37.07

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.61 ₱161

19.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$8.08 ₱498

190.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.22 ₱75.5

124.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.07 ₱127

39.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.50 ₱31.13

-42.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$8.75 ₱539

-6.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.82 ₱50.5

-45.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.27 ₱16.74

55.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$0.85 ₱52.5

624.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.15 ₱70.9

-26.96%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$22.9K ₱1.4M

14.73%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$39.2K ₱2.4M

-17.16%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$72.6 ₱4,476

8.06%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$44.66 ₱2,755

-91.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$28.78 ₱1,775

-15.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$23.73 ₱1,464

306.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$3.63 ₱224

74.93%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$6.17 ₱380

-34.52%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$72.3 ₱4,458

318.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$1,875 ₱115.6K

247.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$108 ₱6,651

-50.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$35.67 ₱2,200

6.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$110 ₱6,793

-21.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$85.8 ₱5,289

-8.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$246 ₱15.1K

312.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$212 ₱13.1K

218.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$434 ₱26.8K

681.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$424 ₱26.1K

395.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$3,145 ₱194.0K

-5.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$702 ₱43.3K

233.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$294 ₱18.1K

-41.12%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Dumaguete: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $246 in Dumaguete. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dumaguete pays 70% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $14.00 in Dumaguete for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 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 69% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $849 including rent). Dumaguete is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Dumaguete earns 70% 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: $1,012 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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $849 in Dumaguete – a 69% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Dumaguete runs roughly 7% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $849 in Dumaguete versus $1,438 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 69% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.