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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $784 in Malaybalay.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,216 in Malaybalay.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,649 in Malaybalay.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 80% more expensive than in Malaybalay, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Malaybalay is 41% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$4.37 ₱269

-21.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$15.75 ₱970

105.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$3.95 ₱243

22.53%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.14 ₱132

28.50%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.50 ₱31.04

176.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.37 ₱22.57

102.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$1.09 ₱66.9

174.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$1.76 ₱108

118.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.70 ₱104

2.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.22 ₱75.1

101.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.93 ₱57.6

25.81%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$2.00 ₱123

21.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$6.05 ₱372

139.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$4.56 ₱281

-4.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$7.47 ₱460

60.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$2.83 ₱174

31.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.19 ₱73.4

36.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$2.28 ₱140

20.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.42 ₱87.5

57.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$2.18 ₱134

-11.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$3.17 ₱195

-28.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.38 ₱84.8

-23.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.60 ₱36.82

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$2.67 ₱164

23.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$8.14 ₱501

184.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.36 ₱83.9

104.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$1.55 ₱95.4

76.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.28 ₱17.37

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$0.85 ₱52.6

-43.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$0.23 ₱14.10

82.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$2.18 ₱134

185.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.09 ₱67.2

-25.69%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$21.9K ₱1.3M

21.51%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$20.9K ₱1.3M

54.28%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$105 ₱6,459

-25.32%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$33.33 ₱2,052

-87.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$35.84 ₱2,207

-32.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$34.25 ₱2,109

187.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$4.36 ₱269

45.41%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$4.52 ₱278

-11.73%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$118 ₱7,251

158.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$4,376 ₱269.4K

51.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$45.25 ₱2,786

19.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$30.63 ₱1,886

23.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$76.2 ₱4,691

13.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$68.0 ₱4,185

12.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$271 ₱16.7K

266.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$180 ₱11.1K

273.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$587 ₱36.1K

475.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$389 ₱23.9K

427.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$2,377 ₱146.3K

18.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$1,109 ₱68.3K

100.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Malaybalay: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $271 in Malaybalay. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $16.00 in Malaybalay for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 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 80% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $784 including rent). Malaybalay is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,112 in Ubud, Bali and $1,176 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $271 in Malaybalay. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $305 in Ubud, Bali versus $118 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $784 in Malaybalay versus $1,408 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 80% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.