Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Tagbilaran City Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Tagbilaran City

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $729 in Tagbilaran City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,178 in Tagbilaran City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,628 in Tagbilaran City.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 95% more expensive than Tagbilaran City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Tagbilaran City is 46% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Tagbilaran City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.56 Rp 63.7K
$4.37 ₱270
-18.54%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.73 Rp 584.5K
$21.37 ₱1,318
53.16%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.95 Rp 88.4K
$3.31 ₱204
49.55%
Cappuccino
$2.71 Rp 48.4K
$2.52 ₱155
7.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.34 Rp 24.0K
$0.85 ₱52.4
57.65%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70 Rp 12.5K
$0.43 ₱26.33
62.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.92 Rp 52.1K
$1.17 ₱72.4
149.57%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.96 Rp 70.7K
$2.09 ₱129
89.47%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Tagbilaran City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 Rp 32.3K
$1.72 ₱106
5.23%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 Rp 45.0K
$1.09 ₱67.5
131.19%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.16 Rp 20.7K
$0.88 ₱54.2
31.82%
Eggs
$2.46 Rp 43.9K
$2.02 ₱124
21.78%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.71 Rp 262.7K
$10.49 ₱647
40.23%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.32 Rp 77.1K
$4.47 ₱276
-3.36%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.14 Rp 216.7K
$7.64 ₱471
58.90%
Apples (1kg)
$3.84 Rp 68.6K
$3.56 ₱220
7.87%
Banana (1kg)
$1.56 Rp 27.8K
$1.29 ₱79.8
20.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.83 Rp 50.6K
$3.25 ₱201
-12.92%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.5K
$1.83 ₱113
27.32%
Potato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.2K
$2.21 ₱136
-13.57%
Onion (1kg)
$2.20 Rp 39.3K
$2.41 ₱148
-8.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.01 Rp 18.1K
$0.99 ₱60.9
2.02%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 Rp 13.8K
$0.67 ₱41.55
16.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.32 Rp 59.2K
$2.67 ₱165
24.34%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.74 Rp 423.9K
$6.25 ₱385
279.84%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.79 Rp 49.8K
$0.93 ₱57.6
200.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.86 Rp 51.1K
$1.17 ₱71.9
144.44%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Tagbilaran City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.27 Rp 4,800
$0.28 ₱17.42
-3.57%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.03 Rp 143.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.46 Rp 8,150
$0.89 ₱54.8
-48.31%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rp 8,037
$0.25 ₱15.46
80.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.10 Rp 108.9K
$2.62 ₱162
132.82%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
$1.14 ₱70.5
-30.70%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rp 467.0M
$27.8K ₱1.7M
-5.85%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1K Rp 573.6M
$21.8K ₱1.3M
47.38%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Tagbilaran City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.9 Rp 1.4M
$76.1 ₱4,692
5.05%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.06 Rp 72.6K
$26.65 ₱1,643
-84.77%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$23.52 Rp 420.0K
$29.62 ₱1,827
-20.59%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Tagbilaran City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$98.7 Rp 1.8M
$33.71 ₱2,079
192.79%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.63 Rp 118.4K
$4.45 ₱274
48.99%
Cinema Ticket
$4.15 Rp 74.1K
$4.10 ₱253
1.22%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Tagbilaran City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$304 Rp 5.4M
$227 ₱14.0K
33.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,613 Rp 118.1M
$3,822 ₱235.7K
73.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Tagbilaran City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.5 Rp 991.8K
$45.56 ₱2,809
21.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.31 Rp 684.1K
$20.23 ₱1,247
89.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$88.6 Rp 1.6M
$71.4 ₱4,400
24.18%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$55.4 ₱3,417
40.53%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Tagbilaran City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,006 Rp 18.0M
$213 ₱13.2K
371.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$675 Rp 12.1M
$155 ₱9,555
335.84%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,442 Rp 61.5M
$535 ₱33.0K
542.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,039 Rp 36.4M
$381 ₱23.5K
435.33%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,841 Rp 50.7M
$2,438 ₱150.3K
16.53%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,264 Rp 40.4M
$985 ₱60.8K
129.75%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Tagbilaran City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
$179 ₱11.0K
-7.60%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
8
66.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $213 in Tagbilaran City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tagbilaran City pays 8% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $21.00 in Tagbilaran City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $207 per month, with Tagbilaran City 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 Tagbilaran City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and Tagbilaran City?
Ubud, Bali and Tagbilaran City differ by about 95% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $729 including rent). Tagbilaran City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, Tagbilaran City earns 8% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and Tagbilaran City?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $213 in Tagbilaran City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Ubud, Bali or Tagbilaran City?
All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $729 in Tagbilaran City – a 95% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $729 in Tagbilaran City versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tagbilaran City but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Tagbilaran City the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Tagbilaran City?
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.
Is Ubud, Bali or Tagbilaran City safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Tagbilaran City are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or Tagbilaran City?
Expats usually find Tagbilaran City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 95% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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