🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $958 in Koh Lanta versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,708 in Koh Lanta versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,458 in Koh Lanta versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.
🙂Living in Koh Lanta costs roughly 33% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Koh Lanta is 29% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Koh Lanta
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.79฿124
$3.56Rp 64.3K
6.46%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$36.38฿1,188
$32.73Rp 590.3K
11.15%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.00฿229
$4.95Rp 89.2K
41.41%
Cappuccino
$2.39฿78.0
$2.71Rp 48.9K
-11.81%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.55฿17.98
$1.34Rp 24.2K
-58.96%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29฿9.33
$0.70Rp 12.6K
-58.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.92฿62.6
$2.92Rp 52.7K
-34.25%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91฿95.2
$3.96Rp 71.4K
-26.52%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Koh Lanta
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$2.01฿65.8
$1.81Rp 32.6K
11.05%
White Bread(500g)
$1.72฿56.1
$2.52Rp 45.4K
-31.75%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.04฿66.7
$1.16Rp 20.9K
75.86%
Eggs
$2.07฿67.5
$2.46Rp 44.4K
-15.85%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.32฿566
$14.71Rp 265.3K
17.74%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.24฿106
$4.32Rp 77.9K
-25.00%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.84฿387
$12.14Rp 218.9K
-2.47%
Apples(1kg)
$3.03฿98.9
$3.84Rp 69.3K
-21.09%
Banana(1kg)
$1.46฿47.75
$1.56Rp 28.1K
-6.41%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.13฿69.6
$2.83Rp 51.1K
-24.73%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.81฿59.0
$2.33Rp 41.9K
-22.32%
Potato(1kg)
$1.44฿47.01
$1.91Rp 34.5K
-24.61%
Onion(1kg)
$1.30฿42.43
$2.20Rp 39.7K
-40.91%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.92฿30.15
$1.01Rp 18.3K
-8.91%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.46฿15.11
$0.78Rp 14.0K
-41.03%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.88฿127
$3.32Rp 59.8K
16.87%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.27฿564
$23.74Rp 428.0K
-27.25%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.61฿52.6
$2.79Rp 50.3K
-42.29%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.52฿82.2
$2.86Rp 51.6K
-11.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Koh Lanta
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.08฿35.18
$0.27Rp 4,848
300.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$8.03Rp 144.8K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$2.47฿80.8
$0.46Rp 8,230
436.96%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.83฿27.26
$0.45Rp 8,116
84.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$10.95฿358
$6.10Rp 109.9K
79.51%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.08฿35.20
$0.79Rp 14.3K
36.71%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.9K฿716.7K
$26.1KRp 471.6M
-16.08%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K฿869.2K
$32.1KRp 579.2M
-17.14%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Koh Lanta
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$118฿3,859
$79.9Rp 1.4M
47.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.25฿433
$4.06Rp 73.3K
226.35%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$17.75฿580
$23.52Rp 424.1K
-24.53%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Koh Lanta
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$52.2฿1,706
$98.7Rp 1.8M
-47.08%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.19฿463
$6.63Rp 119.6K
114.03%
Cinema Ticket
$7.82฿255
$4.15Rp 74.8K
88.43%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Koh Lanta
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$633฿20.7K
$304Rp 5.5M
108.29%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$14.4K฿470.1K
$6,613Rp 119.3M
117.65%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Koh Lanta
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.3฿1,840
$55.5Rp 1.0M
1.44%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.56฿1,096
$38.31Rp 690.9K
-12.40%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$107฿3,493
$88.6Rp 1.6M
20.70%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$81.9฿2,674
$77.9Rp 1.4M
5.15%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Koh Lanta
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$365฿11.9K
$1,006Rp 18.1M
-63.73%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$263฿8,601
$675Rp 12.2M
-61.00%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,256฿41.0K
$3,442Rp 62.1M
-63.51%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$902฿29.5K
$2,039Rp 36.8M
-55.75%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,244฿73.3K
$2,841Rp 51.2M
-21.02%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,598฿52.2K
$2,264Rp 40.8M
-29.41%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Koh Lanta
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$165Rp 3.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.33
13.28
-59.86%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Koh Lanta: May 31, 2026
Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $365 in Koh Lanta and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $36.00 in Koh Lanta vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $263 vs $302, with Koh Lanta cheaper for home cooking.
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
Koh Lanta vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Koh Lanta and Ubud, Bali?
Koh Lanta and Ubud, Bali differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($958 vs $1,419 including rent). Koh Lanta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
What salary covers living expenses in Koh Lanta compared to Ubud, Bali?
You'd need roughly $1,436 in Koh Lanta and $2,129 in Ubud, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How do apartment prices compare in Koh Lanta and Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $365 in Koh Lanta versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Koh Lanta and Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $633 in Koh Lanta versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
Dining out is cheaper in Koh Lanta – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
At $958 in Koh Lanta versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Koh Lanta but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Koh Lanta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Koh Lanta and Ubud, Bali?
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 Koh Lanta or Ubud, Bali safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Koh Lanta 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.
Where should expats move: Koh Lanta or Ubud, Bali?
Expats usually find Koh Lanta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.