Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Koh Lanta

For one person, living is cheaper in Koh Lanta: $907 a month against $1,224 in Bali, rent and utilities included – about $3,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,224
/mo nomad
Koh Lanta
🇹🇭 Thailand
$907
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bali and in Koh Lanta

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bali and in Koh Lanta actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,224 per month in Bali vs $907 in Koh Lanta, rent included.

  • Bali $1,224
  • Koh Lanta $907

A couple spends around $2,064 per month in Bali vs $1,498 in Koh Lanta, rent included.

  • Bali $2,064
  • Koh Lanta $1,498

A family of three spends $2,904 per month in Bali vs $2,089 in Koh Lanta, rent included.

  • Bali $2,904
  • Koh Lanta $2,089

Bali costs about 35% more than Koh Lanta, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bali and Koh Lanta are more affordable than the global median – Bali 9% lower, Koh Lanta 32% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bali
Koh Lanta
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.74 Rp 49.0K
$3.62 ฿121
-24.31%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.64 Rp 529.8K
$25.92 ฿868
14.35%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.74 Rp 84.7K
$6.84 ฿229
-30.70%
Cappuccino
$2.22 Rp 39.7K
$2.26 ฿75.5
-1.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 Rp 24.5K
$0.78 ฿25.96
75.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 Rp 11.8K
$0.36 ฿12.15
83.33%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 Rp 39.4K
$2.08 ฿69.6
6.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 Rp 64.7K
$2.95 ฿98.7
22.71%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bali
Koh Lanta
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 Rp 25.8K
$1.53 ฿51.4
-5.88%
White Bread (500g)
$2.17 Rp 38.7K
$1.31 ฿43.96
65.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.12 Rp 20.0K
$1.36 ฿45.45
-17.65%
Eggs
$1.97 Rp 35.2K
$1.87 ฿62.6
5.35%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.41 Rp 293.2K
$17.72 ฿593
-7.39%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 Rp 65.0K
$3.00 ฿101
21.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.53 Rp 206.2K
$9.85 ฿330
17.06%
Apples (1kg)
$3.37 Rp 60.2K
$2.55 ฿85.4
32.16%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 Rp 26.0K
$1.52 ฿50.9
-3.95%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 Rp 38.4K
$2.04 ฿68.3
5.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.90 Rp 34.0K
$1.91 ฿63.8
-0.52%
Potato (1kg)
$1.80 Rp 32.2K
$1.30 ฿43.56
38.46%
Onion (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.0K
$1.20 ฿40.09
86.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.94 Rp 16.8K
$1.02 ฿34.11
-7.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 Rp 8,577
$0.46 ฿15.55
4.35%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.14 Rp 38.2K
$3.80 ฿127
-43.68%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.94 Rp 392.2K
$16.52 ฿553
32.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 Rp 40.4K
$1.62 ฿54.4
39.51%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 Rp 49.6K
$2.53 ฿84.7
9.49%
🚌 Getting Around
Bali
Koh Lanta
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 Rp 4,661
$1.83 ฿61.3
-85.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.08 Rp 144.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,853
$2.42 ฿81.1
-81.82%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,491
$0.82 ฿27.40
-48.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.66 Rp 101.1K
$3.00 ฿100
88.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.90 Rp 16.0K
$1.18 ฿39.60
-23.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.2K Rp 433.4M
$21.4K ฿716.8K
13.24%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K Rp 563.1M
$20.9K ฿698.6K
50.97%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bali
Koh Lanta
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.1 Rp 1.4M
$93.3 ฿3,122
-14.16%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.63 Rp 118.5K
$10.49 ฿351
-36.80%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33 Rp 327.6K
$16.60 ฿556
10.42%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bali
Koh Lanta
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.56 Rp 814.4K
$44.05 ฿1,475
3.43%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.24 Rp 272.4K
$9.20 ฿308
65.65%
Cinema Ticket
$3.71 Rp 66.4K
$6.55 ฿219
-43.36%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bali
Koh Lanta
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$442 Rp 7.9M
$491 ฿16.4K
-9.87%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,246 Rp 93.8M
$10.5K ฿351.4K
-50.02%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bali
Koh Lanta
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.18 Rp 789.6K
$59.6 ฿1,997
-25.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.13 Rp 610.1K
$27.29 ฿914
25.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.2 Rp 1.4M
$90.7 ฿3,038
-14.89%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.0 Rp 1.3M
$83.0 ฿2,778
-9.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bali
Koh Lanta
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$994 Rp 17.8M
$439 ฿14.7K
126.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$588 Rp 10.5M
$280 ฿9,373
110.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,084 Rp 55.1M
$1,264 ฿42.3K
143.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 Rp 26.7M
$716 ฿24.0K
108.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,383 Rp 42.6M
$2,095 ฿70.2K
13.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,015 Rp 36.0M
$1,519 ฿50.9K
32.67%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bali
Koh Lanta
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$223 Rp 4.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
5.57
147.40%

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

Last update for Bali: October 4, 2026

Last update for Koh Lanta: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bali
$588
Koh Lanta
$280 52.4% $309
Groceries & Markets
Bali
$274
Koh Lanta
$241 12.2% $33
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bali
$105
Koh Lanta
$120 14.6% $15
Clothing & Footwear
Bali
$104
Koh Lanta
$117 13.1% $14
Eating Out
Bali
$89
Koh Lanta
$97 9.2% $8.2
Sport & Entertainment
Bali
$53
Koh Lanta
$57 7.8% $4.1
Getting Around
Bali
$12
Koh Lanta
$14 * 18.8% $2.2

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Bali versus $439 in Koh Lanta. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bali versus $26.00 in Koh Lanta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $241 – making Koh Lanta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Bali
🇹🇭 Koh Lanta
🕒 Local time
16:17 4:17 PM
15:17 3:17 PM
1 h behind Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
32,000
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,048 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bali Koh Lanta 2,540 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bali
  • Koh Lanta

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Bali vs Koh Lanta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bali or Koh Lanta?
Bali costs about 35% more than Koh Lanta, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Bali and in Koh Lanta?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,836 per month in Bali and $1,361 in Koh Lanta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Bali or Koh Lanta?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Koh Lanta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Bali compared to Koh Lanta?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,224 in Bali and $907 in Koh Lanta. That's a gap of about 35%.
How do childcare costs compare in Bali and in Koh Lanta?
Kindergarten costs $442 per month in Bali and $491 in Koh Lanta. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Bali or in Koh Lanta?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Lanta, where all-in costs run around $907, than in Bali at $1,224. In Koh Lanta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bali or Koh Lanta?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Koh Lanta costs $907 versus $1,224 in Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Bali compared to Koh Lanta?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Bali or to Koh Lanta?
If budget matters most, go with Koh Lanta. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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