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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,186 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,004 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,822 in Makati.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 18% more expensive than Makati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Makati is 12% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$6.83 ₱415

-47.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$44.54 ₱2,705

-27.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$4.88 ₱296

-0.41%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.87 ₱174

-4.18%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.16 ₱70.4

13.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.53 ₱32.32

32.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.44 ₱148

19.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.48 ₱211

8.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$2.12 ₱129

-19.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.51 ₱91.4

63.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.12 ₱67.7

7.14%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.25 ₱137

8.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$8.04 ₱488

78.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$4.42 ₱269

-2.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$7.81 ₱474

56.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$4.51 ₱274

-18.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.91 ₱116

-18.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.72 ₱165

2.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$2.19 ₱133

6.39%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$3.26 ₱198

-39.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$2.93 ₱178

-21.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.10 ₱66.6

-3.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.99 ₱60.1

-26.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$2.85 ₱173

15.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$8.27 ₱502

175.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.18 ₱71.9

138.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.33 ₱141

19.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.51 ₱30.91

-43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$3.49 ₱212

130.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.77 ₱46.80

-41.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.13 ₱7.76

246.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$3.64 ₱221

71.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.15 ₱69.7

-26.09%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$33.6K ₱2.0M

-22.65%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$22.1K ₱1.3M

43.52%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$168 ₱10.2K

-52.04%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$27.62 ₱1,677

-85.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$36.63 ₱2,224

-33.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$56.5 ₱3,428

72.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$11.69 ₱710

-44.82%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$7.76 ₱471

-47.94%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$320 ₱19.4K

-4.94%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$7,666 ₱465.5K

-13.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$58.5 ₱3,554

-7.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$35.71 ₱2,169

8.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$86.2 ₱5,231

-0.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$125 ₱7,609

-38.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$660 ₱40.1K

49.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$394 ₱23.9K

67.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$2,263 ₱137.4K

48.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$1,009 ₱61.2K

104.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$6,121 ₱371.7K

-55.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$3,737 ₱226.9K

-40.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$693 ₱42.1K

-76.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.67

99.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Makati: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $660 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 324% 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 $45.00 in Makati. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $234, with Makati cheaper for home cooking.

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 Makati: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Makati wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Makati the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Makati earns 324% 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $660 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,186 in Makati – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makati runs roughly 131% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,186 in Makati versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Makati but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Makati the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Makati delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,186 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Makati hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Makati 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 Makati gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.