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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $731 in Zamboanga versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,099 in Zamboanga versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,467 in Zamboanga versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Zamboanga costs roughly 47% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Zamboanga is 47% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.32 ₱82.7

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

-61.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.92 ₱1,061

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

-53.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.51 ₱220

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

-38.53%

Cappuccino

$2.08 ₱130

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

-22.10%

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

$0.87 ₱54.2

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

-50.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.42 ₱26.50

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

-51.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ₱91.6

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

-50.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 ₱125

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

-55.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ₱108

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

6.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.43 ₱89.5

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

-38.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 ₱69.7

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

Eggs

$1.52 ₱95.0

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

-30.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.08 ₱632

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

-43.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.06 ₱254

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

-0.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.16 ₱198

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

-74.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 ₱192

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

-17.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ₱73.2

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

-26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.69 ₱231

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

61.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ₱71.3

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

-41.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ₱74.3

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-38.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.44 ₱153

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

4.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 ₱52.0

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

-17.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ₱31.55

$0.55 Rp 9,795

-9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.79 ₱175

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

25.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.11 ₱257

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

-82.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.31 ₱82.1

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

-45.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 ₱123

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

-34.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.22 ₱13.80

$0.27 Rp 4,825

-18.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.85 ₱743

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

31.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.77 ₱48.02

$0.48 Rp 8,586

60.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.21 ₱13.16

$0.43 Rp 7,697

-51.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$1.67 ₱105

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

-70.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 ₱60.9

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

21.25%

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

$20.6K ₱1.3M

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

-17.30%

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

$18.5K ₱1.2M

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

-41.61%

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

$122 ₱7,667

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

50.18%

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

$14.78 ₱926

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

127.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.02 ₱2,947

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

150.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.01 ₱2,257

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-36.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.65 ₱291

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

-75.17%

Cinema Ticket

$5.09 ₱319

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

12.11%

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

$131 ₱8,182

$481 Rp 8.5M

-72.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,834 ₱490.9K

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

37.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$32.17 ₱2,016

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

-29.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.84 ₱1,181

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

-47.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 ₱4,448

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-11.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.5 ₱3,417

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

-30.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$263 ₱16.5K

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

-76.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 ₱10.9K

$698 Rp 12.4M

-75.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$340 ₱21.3K

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

-90.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$354 ₱22.2K

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-79.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,560 ₱160.4K

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

-8.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,002 ₱62.8K

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

-56.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$188 ₱11.8K

$168 Rp 3.0M

12.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

13.78

-51.02%

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

Last update for Zamboanga: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $263 in Zamboanga and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zamboanga pays 12% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $17.00 in Zamboanga vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $181 vs $295 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

Zamboanga vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zamboanga wins on cost – living expenses run 87% 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.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Zamboanga, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $263 in Zamboanga versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $131 in Zamboanga versus $481 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 63% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $731 in Zamboanga versus $1,368 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 $731 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Zamboanga hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Zamboanga and Ubud, Bali 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 87% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.