Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Lipe and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Koh Lipe and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,164 in Koh Lipe versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,649 in Koh Lipe versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,134 in Koh Lipe versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Koh Lipe is roughly 55% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Koh Lipe 58% above, Ubud, Bali 2% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Koh Lipe
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.35 ฿242
$3.37 Rp 59.7K
118.10%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$52.1 ฿1,712
$38.59 Rp 682.4K
34.91%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.24 ฿468
$5.52 Rp 97.6K
157.97%
Cappuccino
$4.51 ฿148
$2.64 Rp 46.8K
70.83%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.36 ฿44.79
$1.67 Rp 29.6K
-18.56%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.78 ฿25.56
$0.77 Rp 13.6K
1.30%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$3.88 ฿128
$2.63 Rp 46.6K
47.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.99 ฿197
$4.28 Rp 75.7K
39.95%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Koh Lipe
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.28 ฿75.1
$1.55 Rp 27.3K
47.10%
White Bread (500g)
$1.78 ฿58.4
$2.22 Rp 39.3K
-19.82%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.91 ฿62.7
$1.13 Rp 19.9K
69.03%
Eggs
$2.75 ฿90.3
$2.09 Rp 36.9K
31.58%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.46 ฿804
$17.39 Rp 307.6K
40.66%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.32 ฿142
$3.87 Rp 68.4K
11.63%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.99 ฿460
$12.55 Rp 221.9K
11.47%
Apples (1kg)
$3.80 ฿125
$3.62 Rp 63.9K
4.97%
Banana (1kg)
$2.05 ฿67.4
$1.56 Rp 27.6K
31.41%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.91 ฿95.6
$2.35 Rp 41.6K
23.83%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.70 ฿88.9
$2.06 Rp 36.4K
31.07%
Potato (1kg)
$1.92 ฿63.1
$1.90 Rp 33.6K
1.05%
Onion (1kg)
$1.69 ฿55.6
$2.34 Rp 41.3K
-27.78%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.37 ฿44.99
$1.03 Rp 18.2K
33.01%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.67 ฿22.11
$0.55 Rp 9,809
21.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.37 ฿176
$2.25 Rp 39.8K
138.67%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.02 ฿757
$23.81 Rp 421.0K
-3.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.31 ฿75.8
$2.31 Rp 40.9K
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.58 ฿118
$2.80 Rp 49.5K
27.86%
🚌 Getting Around
Koh Lipe
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.33 ฿110
$0.27 Rp 4,816
1133.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$8.66 Rp 153.2K
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$4.56 ฿150
$0.48 Rp 8,515
850.00%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.63 ฿53.6
$0.45 Rp 7,887
262.22%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.68 ฿187
$5.72 Rp 101.1K
-0.70%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$2.15 ฿70.7
$0.76 Rp 13.4K
182.89%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$40.0K ฿1.3M
$24.5K Rp 433.0M
63.38%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$40.9K ฿1.3M
$32.1K Rp 568.0M
27.32%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Koh Lipe
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$119 ฿3,919
$83.6 Rp 1.5M
42.67%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$12.66 ฿416
$6.46 Rp 114.2K
95.98%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$20.00 ฿657
$18.99 Rp 335.9K
5.32%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Koh Lipe
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$65.6 ฿2,158
$56.0 Rp 989.8K
17.28%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.96 ฿459
$18.62 Rp 329.2K
-25.03%
Cinema Ticket
$9.86 ฿324
$4.28 Rp 75.7K
130.37%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Koh Lipe
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$705 ฿23.2K
$487 Rp 8.6M
44.93%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$14.3K ฿471.8K
$5,856 Rp 103.6M
145.05%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Koh Lipe
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$67.8 ฿2,228
$45.56 Rp 805.6K
48.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$30.25 ฿995
$36.38 Rp 643.3K
-16.85%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$101 ฿3,322
$82.0 Rp 1.4M
23.27%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$92.7 ฿3,048
$80.4 Rp 1.4M
15.31%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Koh Lipe
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,859 ฿61.1K
$1,117 Rp 19.7M
66.51%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,232 ฿40.5K
$701 Rp 12.4M
75.69%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,182 ฿170.4K
$3,537 Rp 62.5M
46.53%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,105 ฿102.1K
$1,762 Rp 31.2M
76.17%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,981 ฿295.3K
$2,826 Rp 50.0M
217.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$6,490 ฿213.4K
$2,292 Rp 40.5M
183.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Koh Lipe
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$170 Rp 3.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5.57
13.78
-59.58%

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

Last update for Koh Lipe: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,859 in Koh Lipe and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $52.0 in Koh Lipe vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $340 vs $293 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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
Koh Lipe vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Koh Lipe or Ubud, Bali?
Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 55% lower than in Koh Lipe. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Koh Lipe and in Ubud, Bali?
You'd need roughly $3,247 in Koh Lipe and $2,095 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 much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Koh Lipe compared to Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,859 in Koh Lipe versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Koh Lipe and in Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $705 in Koh Lipe versus $487 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Koh Lipe and in Ubud, Bali?
Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $52.0 in Koh Lipe. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Koh Lipe or in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,164 in Koh Lipe, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Koh Lipe. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Koh Lipe or Ubud, Bali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,396 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.
How safe is Koh Lipe compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Koh Lipe 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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Koh Lipe. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Koh Lipe vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities