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: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,198 in Makati.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,052 in Makati.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,907 in Makati.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 15% more expensive than in Makati, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Makati is 13% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$6.42 ₱396

-48.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$40.95 ₱2,524

-4.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$4.63 ₱286

21.38%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.65 ₱163

-0.38%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.09 ₱67.4

44.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.52 ₱32.31

36.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$2.45 ₱151

11.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$3.18 ₱196

35.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.88 ₱116

-18.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.31 ₱81.0

75.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.08 ₱66.6

-4.63%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$2.26 ₱139

-6.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$7.42 ₱457

133.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$5.09 ₱314

-20.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$7.16 ₱442

73.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$4.11 ₱253

-9.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.94 ₱120

-16.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$2.39 ₱147

-5.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.98 ₱122

0.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$2.99 ₱184

-38.80%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$3.48 ₱215

-35.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$1.11 ₱68.2

-6.31%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$1.13 ₱69.9

-50.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$2.60 ₱160

-14.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$7.92 ₱488

193.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$1.36 ₱83.8

75.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$2.02 ₱124

42.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$0.94 ₱58.1

-73.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

$58.5 ₱3,605

-87.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$0.67 ₱41.17

-31.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.22 ₱13.49

109.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$1.91 ₱118

198.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.26 ₱77.7

-39.68%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$22.1K ₱1.4M

11.38%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

57.14%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$153 ₱9,453

-46.41%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$16.87 ₱1,040

-62.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$30.74 ₱1,895

-39.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$56.6 ₱3,491

-1.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

$14.41 ₱888

27.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$7.34 ₱452

-41.96%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$822 ₱50.7K

-40.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$7,484 ₱461.4K

-22.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$60.4 ₱3,723

-23.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$37.93 ₱2,338

-5.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$84.5 ₱5,209

-5.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$106 ₱6,519

-23.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$738 ₱45.5K

54.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$388 ₱23.9K

78.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$2,324 ₱143.2K

52.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$1,081 ₱66.6K

58.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$6,146 ₱378.9K

-54.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$3,737 ₱230.4K

-39.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$611 ₱37.7K

-72.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

7.5

83.73%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Makati: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $738 in Makati. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Makati pays 261% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $41.00 in Makati. Groceries flip the comparison at $293 vs $227, 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 15% 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, salaries run 261% lower in Makati. 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: $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $738 in Makati. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,198 in Makati – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Makati runs roughly 716% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,198 in Makati versus $1,379 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 $1,198 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 15% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.