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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $863 in Mandaluyong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,430 in Mandaluyong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,996 in Mandaluyong.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 60% more expensive than in Mandaluyong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Mandaluyong is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$4.96 ₱306

-33.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$17.11 ₱1,054

128.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$3.74 ₱230

50.27%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.18 ₱134

21.10%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$0.99 ₱61.1

59.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.53 ₱32.49

33.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$1.15 ₱70.7

137.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$2.73 ₱169

58.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.64 ₱101

-6.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.32 ₱81.1

74.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.06 ₱65.2

-2.83%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$2.23 ₱137

-4.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$5.04 ₱311

243.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$4.91 ₱302

-17.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$6.78 ₱418

83.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$3.27 ₱201

13.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.81 ₱112

-10.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$3.00 ₱185

-24.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.81 ₱111

9.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$2.36 ₱146

-22.46%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$2.77 ₱171

-18.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.67 ₱41.41

55.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.50 ₱30.81

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$3.06 ₱189

-27.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$8.73 ₱538

165.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$0.93 ₱57.5

156.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$2.03 ₱125

41.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$0.37 ₱22.88

-32.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$0.84 ₱51.8

-45.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.25 ₱15.50

84.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$2.00 ₱123

185.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.20 ₱74.3

-36.67%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$22.0K ₱1.4M

11.44%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$20.0K ₱1.2M

55.39%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$140 ₱8,661

-41.51%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$17.57 ₱1,083

-63.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$24.76 ₱1,527

-25.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$32.26 ₱1,989

73.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$6.14 ₱378

-30.62%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$138 ₱8,479

255.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$9,049 ₱557.8K

-35.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$29.14 ₱1,796

57.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$27.75 ₱1,710

29.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$73.8 ₱4,552

7.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$57.9 ₱3,568

39.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$622 ₱38.3K

83.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$241 ₱14.9K

186.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$1,232 ₱76.0K

186.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$723 ₱44.6K

136.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$2,870 ₱176.9K

-2.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$606 ₱37.3K

-72.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.75

104.15%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Mandaluyong: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $622 in Mandaluyong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Mandaluyong pays 258% 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 $17.00 in Mandaluyong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $198 per month, with Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Mandaluyong differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,379 vs $863 including rent). Mandaluyong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 258% lower in Mandaluyong. 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 $622 in Mandaluyong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $489 in Ubud, Bali versus $138 in Mandaluyong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Mandaluyong – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $863 in Mandaluyong versus $1,379 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Mandaluyong but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong 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 Mandaluyong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.