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: $2,312 in Lerwick versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,374 in Lerwick versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,435 in Lerwick versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Lerwick is roughly 63% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Lerwick 73% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.16 £15.12

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

466.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.3 £61.0

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

148.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.14 £7.60

$4.95 Rp 89.3K

104.85%

Cappuccino

$4.61 £3.45

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

70.11%

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

$2.29 £1.71

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

70.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 £1.20

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

128.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.24 £4.68

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

113.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.01 £4.51

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

51.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 £1.18

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

-12.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 £1.20

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

-36.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.19 £1.65

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

88.79%

Eggs

$3.88 £2.91

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

57.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.06 £7.55

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

-31.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.01 £6.75

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

108.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 £10.36

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

13.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.12 £2.34

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

-18.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 £1.23

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

4.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.86 £2.15

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

1.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.60 £2.70

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

54.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.68 £1.26

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

-12.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 £1.11

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

-32.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 £0.80

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

4.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.48 £1.11

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

89.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$19.37 £14.53

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

483.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.18 £8.38

$23.74 Rp 428.1K

-52.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 £2.11

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.10 £2.33

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

8.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.27 £2.45

$0.27 Rp 4,848

1111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.3 £67.0

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

1012.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.55 £4.16

$0.46 Rp 8,231

1106.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 £1.15

$0.45 Rp 8,117

240.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$22.72 £17.04

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

272.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.94 £1.45

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

145.57%

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

$38.3K £28.7K

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

46.36%

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

$40.8K £30.6K

$32.1K Rp 579.3M

26.97%

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

$296 £222

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

269.66%

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

$17.23 £12.92

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

324.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.36 £32.51

$23.52 Rp 424.2K

84.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.04 £33.77

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-54.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

Cinema Ticket

$13.71 £10.28

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

230.36%

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

$1,576 £1,182

$304 Rp 5.5M

418.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K £13.9K

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

179.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$82.8 £62.1

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

49.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.14 £32.35

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

12.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 £69.6

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

4.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.0 £72.7

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

24.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,224 £918

$1,006 Rp 18.2M

21.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,011 £758

$675 Rp 12.2M

49.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,074 £1,555

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

-39.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,713 £1,285

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

-15.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,753 £3,564

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

67.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,224 in Lerwick and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $81.0 in Lerwick vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $302, with Lerwick 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

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

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 63% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $3,468 in Lerwick 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,224 in Lerwick versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,312 per month in Lerwick versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 63% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 1012% less than in Lerwick. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,312 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 63% less than in Lerwick. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.