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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $725 in Pagadian.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,093 in Pagadian.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,460 in Pagadian.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 89% more expensive than in Pagadian, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Pagadian is 47% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$3.79 ₱238

-9.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$16.92 ₱1,063

114.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$2.83 ₱178

101.77%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$1.93 ₱121

38.34%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.87 ₱54.8

101.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.25 ₱15.73

248.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.45 ₱90.9

103.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$1.84 ₱115

145.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.61 ₱101

0.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.03 ₱64.5

126.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.92 ₱57.5

20.65%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.16 ₱136

1.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$5.03 ₱316

251.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$4.14 ₱260

-0.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$6.24 ₱392

95.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$2.43 ₱153

52.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.73 ₱109

-8.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$2.55 ₱160

-10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.10 ₱69.3

77.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$2.06 ₱129

-7.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$2.09 ₱131

11.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.87 ₱55.0

16.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$0.59 ₱37.18

-6.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.48 ₱156

-10.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$7.83 ₱492

194.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$0.99 ₱62.5

144.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$1.83 ₱115

63.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

$0.27 ₱17.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$10.88 ₱684

-17.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$0.74 ₱46.70

-35.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$0.27 ₱17.21

59.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$1.64 ₱103

243.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.04 ₱65.1

-23.08%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$22.9K ₱1.4M

8.89%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$17.1K ₱1.1M

85.22%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$119 ₱7,488

-31.65%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$12.88 ₱809

-49.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$27.46 ₱1,725

-31.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$28.52 ₱1,792

99.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

$4.94 ₱310

279.15%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$5.07 ₱318

-10.45%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$135 ₱8,472

256.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$7,139 ₱448.5K

-20.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$31.18 ₱1,959

45.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$21.29 ₱1,337

68.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$66.9 ₱4,206

20.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$62.5 ₱3,924

25.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$268 ₱16.8K

316.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$163 ₱10.2K

328.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$494 ₱31.1K

635.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$356 ₱22.3K

388.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$2,874 ₱180.6K

-3.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$1,125 ₱70.7K

103.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

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: September 14, 2026

Last update for Pagadian: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $268 in Pagadian. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $17.00 in Pagadian for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $177 per month, with Pagadian 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 Pagadian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Pagadian differ by about 89% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $725 including rent). Pagadian 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 $1,088 in Pagadian 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 $268 in Pagadian. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Pagadian – 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $725 in Pagadian – a 89% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $725 in Pagadian versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Pagadian but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Pagadian 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 Pagadian 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 Pagadian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 89% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.