Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Zamboanga Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Zamboanga

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $751 in Zamboanga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,086 in Zamboanga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,421 in Zamboanga.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 88% more expensive than in Zamboanga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Zamboanga is 44% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$1.50 ₱92.3

130.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$10.04 ₱619

222.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$2.72 ₱167

77.94%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.74 ₱107

58.05%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.91 ₱55.9

51.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.42 ₱25.65

78.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$1.27 ₱78.2

135.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$1.66 ₱102

131.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.94 ₱120

-10.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.58 ₱97.5

55.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.29 ₱79.8

-9.30%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$1.70 ₱105

42.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$11.30 ₱697

28.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$4.49 ₱277

-3.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$3.53 ₱218

239.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$3.50 ₱216

6.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.36 ₱83.8

19.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$4.14 ₱255

-33.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$2.61 ₱161

-14.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.39 ₱85.5

38.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$2.77 ₱171

-17.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.92 ₱56.6

15.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.53 ₱32.71

35.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.11 ₱192

5.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$4.34 ₱267

434.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.41 ₱87.3

97.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$2.28 ₱141

19.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.22 ₱13.53

22.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.85 ₱52.2

-43.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.22 ₱13.50

90.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$2.19 ₱135

184.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.21 ₱74.9

-33.06%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$26.3K ₱1.6M

1.23%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$20.4K ₱1.3M

57.93%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$165 ₱10.2K

-52.46%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$47.18 ₱2,909

-91.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$52.6 ₱3,245

-53.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$40.51 ₱2,498

143.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$4.45 ₱274

42.47%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$7.00 ₱432

-43.00%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$52.8 ₱3,257

477.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$1,218 ₱75.1K

445.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$24.98 ₱1,540

116.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$26.13 ₱1,611

44.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$88.1 ₱5,436

-1.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$61.7 ₱3,806

23.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$140 ₱8,603

611.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$70.4 ₱4,339

856.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$378 ₱23.3K

791.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$142 ₱8,736

1347.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$2,755 ₱169.9K

1.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$941 ₱58.1K

136.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$194 ₱11.9K

-13.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Zamboanga: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $140 in Zamboanga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zamboanga pays 16% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $10.00 in Zamboanga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $209 per month, with Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zamboanga wins on cost – living expenses run 88% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zamboanga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 16% lower in Zamboanga. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $140 in Zamboanga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $751 in Zamboanga – a 88% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $751 in Zamboanga versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zamboanga but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Zamboanga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Zamboanga delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $751 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zamboanga hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Zamboanga 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 Zamboanga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 88% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.