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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $790 in Palawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,218 in Palawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,645 in Palawan, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 76% more than Palawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Palawan is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$3.62 ₱221

-1.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$19.71 ₱1,206

63.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$3.39 ₱207

47.79%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.53 ₱155

11.46%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.78 ₱47.76

73.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.37 ₱22.44

97.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.24 ₱76.2

136.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.15 ₱131

83.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.86 ₱114

-4.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.27 ₱77.6

92.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.94 ₱57.5

22.34%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.09 ₱128

15.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$7.95 ₱486

80.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$4.27 ₱261

-1.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$7.59 ₱464

58.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.96 ₱181

22.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.56 ₱95.8

0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.63 ₱161

6.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.61 ₱98.3

39.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$2.30 ₱141

-13.91%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$2.53 ₱155

-9.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.11 ₱67.7

-5.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.77 ₱47.02

2.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.86 ₱175

11.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$6.78 ₱415

246.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.20 ₱73.7

141.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.02 ₱124

36.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.26 ₱15.72

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.81 ₱49.68

-44.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.24 ₱14.72

91.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$2.15 ₱131

182.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.13 ₱69.2

-23.89%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$26.5K ₱1.6M

0.49%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

57.36%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$114 ₱7,008

-30.98%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$32.72 ₱2,003

-87.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$27.08 ₱1,658

-11.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$34.46 ₱2,110

186.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$4.35 ₱266

45.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$5.95 ₱364

-32.61%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$149 ₱9,149

98.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$4,352 ₱266.4K

51.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$45.09 ₱2,760

18.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$26.88 ₱1,645

41.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$74.5 ₱4,563

18.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$54.2 ₱3,317

41.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$262 ₱16.1K

288.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$177 ₱10.8K

284.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$598 ₱36.6K

480.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$398 ₱24.3K

425.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$2,386 ₱146.1K

14.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$947 ₱57.9K

142.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.67

99.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Palawan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $262 in Palawan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $20.00 in Palawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $203 – making Palawan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Palawan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,185 in Palawan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palawan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $20.00 in Palawan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 46% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Palawan, where all-in costs run around $790, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In Palawan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Palawan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Palawan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.