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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $758 in Malaybalay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,146 in Malaybalay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,535 in Malaybalay.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 81% more expensive than in Malaybalay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Malaybalay is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$4.71 ₱296

-26.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$16.73 ₱1,051

117.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$3.66 ₱230

56.01%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.26 ₱142

18.14%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.50 ₱31.27

250.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.30 ₱19.13

190.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.06 ₱66.4

178.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$1.84 ₱115

145.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.95 ₱123

-16.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.14 ₱71.5

104.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.87 ₱54.6

27.59%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.95 ₱123

12.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$6.50 ₱409

172.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$4.06 ₱255

0.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$8.62 ₱541

41.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$2.58 ₱162

43.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.12 ₱70.5

41.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$2.31 ₱145

-1.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.19 ₱74.6

63.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$2.05 ₱129

-6.83%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$3.57 ₱224

-34.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$1.17 ₱73.6

-13.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$0.70 ₱44.08

-21.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.52 ₱159

-11.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$7.90 ₱497

192.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.24 ₱77.6

95.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$1.59 ₱99.8

88.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

$0.23 ₱14.40

17.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$10.87 ₱683

-17.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$0.81 ₱50.9

-40.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$0.25 ₱15.75

72.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$1.95 ₱123

189.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.18 ₱73.9

-32.20%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$21.5K ₱1.4M

15.83%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$18.8K ₱1.2M

68.83%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$109 ₱6,818

-24.94%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$19.31 ₱1,213

-66.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$30.85 ₱1,938

-39.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$31.66 ₱1,989

79.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

$4.84 ₱304

286.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$4.90 ₱308

-7.35%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$106 ₱6,635

355.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$7,643 ₱480.2K

-25.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$31.89 ₱2,003

42.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$19.10 ₱1,200

87.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$70.4 ₱4,421

14.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$62.1 ₱3,901

26.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$260 ₱16.3K

328.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$169 ₱10.6K

312.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$495 ₱31.1K

635.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$297 ₱18.7K

485.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$2,556 ₱160.6K

8.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$1,043 ₱65.5K

119.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.31

65.82%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Malaybalay: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $260 in Malaybalay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $17.00 in Malaybalay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $194 per month, with Malaybalay 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 Malaybalay: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Malaybalay differ by about 81% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $758 including rent). Malaybalay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $1,136 in Malaybalay to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $260 in Malaybalay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 52% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Malaybalay – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $758 in Malaybalay versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Malaybalay but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Malaybalay 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 Malaybalay 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 Malaybalay gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.