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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,302 in Lerwick versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,380 in Lerwick versus $2,588 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,459 in Lerwick versus $3,778 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Lerwick is roughly 65% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lerwick 72% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.71 £15.49

$3.43 Rp 61.4K

503.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 £60.8

$31.97 Rp 572.4K

154.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.22 £7.64

$5.05 Rp 90.4K

102.38%

Cappuccino

$4.73 £3.54

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

74.54%

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

$2.34 £1.75

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

68.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 £1.25

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

125.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.26 £4.68

$2.89 Rp 51.8K

116.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.27 £4.69

$3.79 Rp 67.9K

65.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 £1.19

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

-11.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 £1.24

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

-33.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.22 £1.66

$1.21 Rp 21.7K

83.47%

Eggs

$3.79 £2.84

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

59.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 £7.52

$14.43 Rp 258.4K

-30.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.93 £6.67

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

115.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.85 £10.36

$12.11 Rp 216.9K

14.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.06 £2.29

$3.77 Rp 67.5K

-18.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 £1.17

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

-3.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.81 £2.10

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

3.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.59 £2.69

$2.26 Rp 40.4K

58.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 £1.22

$1.93 Rp 34.5K

-15.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 £1.10

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

-32.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 £0.79

$1.02 Rp 18.2K

3.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.45 £1.09

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

101.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.20 £14.35

$3.18 Rp 57.0K

503.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.12 £8.31

$23.84 Rp 426.8K

-53.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 £2.08

$2.77 Rp 49.7K

0.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.11 £2.32

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

13.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.32 £2.48

$0.27 Rp 4,786

1129.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.0 £65.0

$8.20 Rp 146.8K

960.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.42 £4.05

$0.48 Rp 8,653

1029.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 £1.14

$0.42 Rp 7,545

264.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.37 £17.47

$6.03 Rp 107.9K

287.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 £1.46

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

137.80%

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

$38.6K £28.9K

$26.6K Rp 475.6M

45.45%

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

$41.4K £30.9K

$32.2K Rp 576.6M

28.55%

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

$290 £217

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

271.16%

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

$17.43 £13.03

$3.91 Rp 70.1K

345.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.53 £32.55

$23.91 Rp 428.2K

82.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 £34.44

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

-52.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 116.8K

Cinema Ticket

$13.51 £10.10

$4.01 Rp 71.9K

236.91%

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

$1,621 £1,212

$303 Rp 5.4M

435.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.4K £13.7K

$6,551 Rp 117.3M

180.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.5 £63.2

$55.3 Rp 990.4K

52.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.09 £32.21

$38.32 Rp 686.1K

12.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.5 £69.2

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

4.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 £74.3

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

29.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,225 £916

$986 Rp 17.6M

24.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,003 £750

$682 Rp 12.2M

47.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,032 £1,519

$3,420 Rp 61.2M

-40.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,731 £1,294

$2,075 Rp 37.1M

-16.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,543 £3,396

$2,762 Rp 49.5M

64.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,243 Rp 40.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.63

13.28

-57.61%

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

Last update for Lerwick: July 19, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,225 in Lerwick and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Lerwick vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $298 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

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

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,453 in Lerwick and $2,096 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,225 in Lerwick versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,302 per month in Lerwick versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 961% less than in Lerwick. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,397 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,302 in Lerwick, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Lerwick. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Lerwick, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Lerwick 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Lerwick. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.