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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $619 in Tagbilaran City.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $999 in Tagbilaran City.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,378 in Tagbilaran City.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 125% more expensive than in Tagbilaran City, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Tagbilaran City is 55% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$3.01 ₱188

11.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.4K

$17.53 ₱1,098

120.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$2.80 ₱176

97.14%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$2.57 ₱161

2.72%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$0.92 ₱57.3

81.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.42 ₱26.33

83.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$0.82 ₱51.5

220.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$2.21 ₱138

93.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.56 ₱97.8

-0.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$1.01 ₱63.3

119.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$0.89 ₱55.9

26.97%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$1.80 ₱113

16.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

$9.88 ₱619

76.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$4.56 ₱286

-15.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

$7.44 ₱466

68.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$2.82 ₱177

28.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.35 ₱84.8

15.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$2.31 ₱144

1.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$1.56 ₱97.9

32.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$2.45 ₱153

-22.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.90 ₱119

23.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.65 ₱40.52

58.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,781

$0.50 ₱31.02

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$2.39 ₱150

-5.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.8K

$6.23 ₱390

282.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$0.93 ₱58.5

148.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$1.07 ₱66.9

161.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,803

$0.50 ₱31.32

-46.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,490

$0.75 ₱47.23

-36.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,865

$0.21 ₱13.14

114.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$4.38 ₱274

30.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.08 ₱67.6

-29.63%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

$21.8K ₱1.4M

12.05%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.4M

$19.7K ₱1.2M

63.27%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$79.3 ₱4,963

5.41%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$14.82 ₱928

-56.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

$25.23 ₱1,580

-24.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 987.0K

$11.18 ₱700

400.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.3K

$3.29 ₱206

465.96%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$3.56 ₱223

20.22%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$277 ₱17.3K

75.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.3M

$8,083 ₱506.1K

-27.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.3K

$38.16 ₱2,390

19.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.5K

$17.97 ₱1,126

102.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$65.8 ₱4,117

24.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$58.7 ₱3,679

36.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$196 ₱12.3K

470.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$141 ₱8,808

398.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$481 ₱30.1K

636.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$341 ₱21.3K

416.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$806 ₱50.5K

250.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$480 ₱30.1K

377.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$176 ₱11.0K

-3.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

7.2

91.39%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Tagbilaran City: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $196 in Tagbilaran City. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Tagbilaran City pays 4% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $18.00 in Tagbilaran City for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $189 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

Ubud, Bali and Tagbilaran City differ by about 125% in total monthly costs ($1,396 vs $619 including rent). Tagbilaran City is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 4% lower in Tagbilaran City. 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: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $196 in Tagbilaran City. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $619 in Tagbilaran City – a 125% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $619 in Tagbilaran City versus $1,396 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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Tagbilaran City gentler on the wallet – expenses run 125% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.