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 $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $778 in Palawan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,551 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,198 in Palawan, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,617 in Palawan, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 79% more than Palawan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Palawan is 42% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

$3.52 ₱212

-3.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

$19.48 ₱1,173

66.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

$3.29 ₱198

51.98%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

$2.63 ₱159

7.22%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

$0.81 ₱48.82

70.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$0.36 ₱21.83

102.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

$1.26 ₱75.7

136.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

$2.18 ₱131

82.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

$1.89 ₱114

-5.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

$1.20 ₱72.5

105.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

$1.02 ₱61.4

17.65%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

$2.00 ₱121

19.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

$8.08 ₱487

78.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

$4.15 ₱250

3.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

$7.91 ₱476

49.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

$2.87 ₱173

31.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

$1.51 ₱91.2

7.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

$2.66 ₱160

5.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

$1.61 ₱97.3

40.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

$2.21 ₱133

-9.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

$2.55 ₱154

-13.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

$1.08 ₱64.8

-0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

$0.77 ₱46.09

-1.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

$2.86 ₱172

9.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

$6.69 ₱403

255.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

$1.21 ₱73.1

134.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

$1.96 ₱118

41.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,726

$0.28 ₱16.96

-3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,034

$0.84 ₱50.5

-46.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,578

$0.22 ₱13.20

95.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

$2.09 ₱126

186.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.13 ₱68.1

-29.20%

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

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

$26.6K ₱1.6M

-3.16%

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

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

$20.8K ₱1.3M

53.06%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$111 ₱6,691

-27.33%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

$32.52 ₱1,958

-87.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

$27.29 ₱1,643

-11.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$34.17 ₱2,058

186.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

$4.45 ₱268

49.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

$5.78 ₱348

-30.10%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$152 ₱9,137

95.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

$4,295 ₱258.7K

53.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

$46.52 ₱2,802

18.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

$26.48 ₱1,595

45.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$76.3 ₱4,594

12.93%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$53.0 ₱3,190

47.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.5M

$262 ₱15.8K

276.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$179 ₱10.8K

271.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

$584 ₱35.2K

489.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

$389 ₱23.4K

425.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

$2,314 ₱139.3K

22.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

$969 ₱58.4K

135.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Palawan: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 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 $19.00 in Palawan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $299 vs $202 – 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 79%, 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 $2,091 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,168 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 $19.00 in Palawan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 48% 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 $778, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,394. 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.