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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $777 in Palawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,216 in Palawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,655 in Palawan, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 85% more than Palawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Palawan is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$3.64 ₱224

-1.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$19.42 ₱1,198

67.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$3.27 ₱202

55.05%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.64 ₱163

7.20%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.82 ₱50.6

63.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.40 ₱24.55

72.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.23 ₱76.1

143.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.15 ₱133

79.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.92 ₱119

-9.37%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.22 ₱75.3

108.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.97 ₱59.6

22.68%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.06 ₱127

17.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$7.82 ₱482

87.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.23 ₱261

-1.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$7.90 ₱487

51.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.98 ₱184

23.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.50 ₱92.4

7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.72 ₱168

-1.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.59 ₱98.1

46.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$2.28 ₱141

-16.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$2.50 ₱154

-12.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.11 ₱68.7

-4.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.75 ₱46.56

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$2.92 ₱180

7.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$7.00 ₱432

235.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.17 ₱72.1

134.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.99 ₱122

44.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.28 ₱17.42

3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.79 ₱48.48

-43.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.24 ₱14.82

75.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$2.14 ₱132

187.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.15 ₱71.0

-26.96%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$26.8K ₱1.7M

-2.10%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$20.1K ₱1.2M

61.69%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$115 ₱7,066

-31.55%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$33.00 ₱2,036

-88.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$27.96 ₱1,725

-12.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$34.00 ₱2,097

183.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$4.38 ₱270

44.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$5.92 ₱365

-31.76%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$149 ₱9,178

103.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$4,320 ₱266.5K

50.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$45.87 ₱2,829

17.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$26.30 ₱1,622

44.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$76.6 ₱4,723

13.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$53.5 ₱3,299

47.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$265 ₱16.3K

282.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$180 ₱11.1K

275.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$588 ₱36.3K

476.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$387 ₱23.8K

442.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$2,309 ₱142.4K

29.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$823 ₱50.7K

184.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Palawan: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $265 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $19.00 in Palawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $204 – 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 85%, 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 $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,166 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $19.00 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 $777, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. 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.