Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Puerto Princesa Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Puerto Princesa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $688 in Puerto Princesa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,032 in Puerto Princesa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,376 in Puerto Princesa.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 99% more expensive than in Puerto Princesa, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Puerto Princesa is 50% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$4.31 ₱270

-20.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$16.98 ₱1,065

113.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$4.41 ₱277

29.48%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.32 ₱146

15.09%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.90 ₱56.3

94.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.49 ₱30.74

77.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.21 ₱75.9

143.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$2.35 ₱147

92.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.66 ₱104

-2.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.94 ₱59.0

147.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$0.76 ₱47.93

46.05%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.73 ₱108

27.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$5.26 ₱330

236.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$5.51 ₱345

-25.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$6.83 ₱429

78.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.25 ₱141

64.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$0.89 ₱56.0

78.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$2.09 ₱131

9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.17 ₱73.5

66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.54 ₱96.5

24.03%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.38 ₱86.7

68.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.80 ₱50.1

26.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.68 ₱42.51

-19.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$2.89 ₱181

-22.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$7.26 ₱455

217.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.00 ₱62.8

142.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.30 ₱81.3

130.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.25 ₱15.56

8.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$10.30 ₱646

-12.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$0.78 ₱48.99

-38.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.22 ₱13.73

95.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$1.92 ₱120

193.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.05 ₱65.8

-23.81%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$17.2K ₱1.1M

44.94%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$19.1K ₱1.2M

65.92%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$61.2 ₱3,840

33.04%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$10.89 ₱683

-40.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$24.36 ₱1,528

-22.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$31.20 ₱1,957

82.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$4.43 ₱278

322.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$5.21 ₱327

-12.86%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$135 ₱8,462

256.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$8,668 ₱543.6K

-34.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$31.74 ₱1,991

43.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$19.57 ₱1,228

83.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$72.4 ₱4,538

11.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$54.8 ₱3,434

43.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$281 ₱17.6K

296.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$203 ₱12.7K

244.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$507 ₱31.8K

617.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$313 ₱19.6K

455.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$2,541 ₱159.4K

9.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$1,043 ₱65.4K

119.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$226 ₱14.2K

-25.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

8.12

69.70%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Puerto Princesa: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $281 in Puerto Princesa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puerto Princesa pays 35% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $17.00 in Puerto Princesa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $171 per month, with Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puerto Princesa is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment. The 99% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 35% lower in Puerto Princesa. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $281 in Puerto Princesa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $688 in Puerto Princesa – a 99% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Puerto Princesa runs roughly 15% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $688 in Puerto Princesa versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Puerto Princesa but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Puerto Princesa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Puerto Princesa is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Puerto Princesa 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 Puerto Princesa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.