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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $778 in Malaybalay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,211 in Malaybalay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,644 in Malaybalay.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 83% more expensive than Malaybalay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Malaybalay is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$4.37 ₱269

-18.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$16.17 ₱997

102.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$3.91 ₱241

26.60%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.07 ₱128

30.92%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.51 ₱31.67

162.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.36 ₱22.49

94.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$1.08 ₱66.7

170.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$1.75 ₱108

126.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.74 ₱107

4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.28 ₱78.7

96.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.99 ₱60.9

17.17%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.09 ₱129

17.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$5.98 ₱369

145.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$4.49 ₱277

-3.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$7.21 ₱444

68.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.90 ₱179

32.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.19 ₱73.5

31.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$2.38 ₱147

18.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.35 ₱83.4

72.59%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$2.30 ₱142

-16.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$3.31 ₱204

-33.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.32 ₱81.4

-23.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.60 ₱37.29

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$2.69 ₱166

23.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$7.91 ₱488

200.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.40 ₱86.1

99.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$1.50 ₱92.2

90.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.28 ₱17.37

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$0.91 ₱56.2

-49.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.25 ₱15.47

80.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$2.18 ₱134

179.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.14 ₱70.5

-30.70%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$22.6K ₱1.4M

15.92%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$20.9K ₱1.3M

53.39%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$103 ₱6,357

-22.46%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$33.29 ₱2,053

-87.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$36.73 ₱2,265

-35.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$34.32 ₱2,116

187.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$4.46 ₱275

48.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$4.53 ₱279

-8.39%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$119 ₱7,334

155.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$4,392 ₱270.8K

50.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$45.45 ₱2,803

22.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$30.66 ₱1,890

24.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$77.1 ₱4,756

14.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$70.1 ₱4,320

11.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$271 ₱16.7K

271.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$178 ₱11.0K

279.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$576 ₱35.5K

497.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$393 ₱24.2K

419.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$2,167 ₱133.6K

31.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$905 ₱55.8K

150.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.56

38.91%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Malaybalay: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $271 in Malaybalay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $16.00 in Malaybalay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 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 83% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $778 including rent). Malaybalay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,129 in Ubud, Bali and $1,166 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $271 in Malaybalay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $119 in Malaybalay. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Malaybalay – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $778 in Malaybalay versus $1,419 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 83% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.