Cost of Living Comparison Between Luang Prabang and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Luang Prabang and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,366 in Luang Prabang versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,093 in Luang Prabang versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,820 in Luang Prabang versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs are close between Luang Prabang and Ubud, Bali; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Luang Prabang 0% above, Ubud, Bali 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.74 LAK 38.8K

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

-49.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.13 LAK 381.9K

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

-52.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.39 LAK 120.2K

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

-5.60%

Cappuccino

$1.51 LAK 33.6K

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

-43.45%

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

$0.84 LAK 18.8K

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-52.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 LAK 13.0K

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.29 LAK 28.8K

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

-56.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 LAK 24.4K

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

-75.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 LAK 36.6K

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.85 LAK 553.9K

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

40.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

Apples (1kg)

$1.30 LAK 28.9K

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-64.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 LAK 23.5K

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

3.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 LAK 16.4K

$0.55 Rp 9,773

32.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 LAK 25.8K

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

-52.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.64 LAK 14.2K

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

-78.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.56 LAK 12.4K

$0.27 Rp 4,814

107.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$57.4 LAK 1.3M

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

539.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.87 LAK 19.5K

$0.48 Rp 8,566

81.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 LAK 25.4K

$0.43 Rp 7,679

165.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.55 LAK 101.5K

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

-19.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 LAK 26.8K

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

50.00%

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

$27.5K LAK 613.5M

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

10.34%

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

$28.4K LAK 632.5M

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

-10.52%

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

$82.0 LAK 1.8M

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

0.63%

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

$5.50 LAK 122.6K

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

-15.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.91 LAK 154.0K

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

-63.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.9 LAK 1.8M

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

44.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.63 LAK 170.0K

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

-59.26%

Cinema Ticket

$2.45 LAK 54.7K

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

-46.04%

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

$251 LAK 5.6M

$481 Rp 8.5M

-47.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,045 LAK 201.6M

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

58.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.3 LAK 1.6M

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

56.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.2 LAK 1.3M

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

67.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.8 LAK 1.6M

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-10.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.4 LAK 1.1M

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

-35.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,145 LAK 25.5M

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

2.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 LAK 19.0M

$698 Rp 12.4M

22.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,864 LAK 41.5M

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-48.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,671 LAK 37.2M

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-3.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,549 LAK 56.8M

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

-8.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$171 LAK 3.8M

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

-92.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$202 LAK 4.5M

$168 Rp 3.0M

19.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

13.78

-26.56%

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

Last update for Luang Prabang: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,145 in Luang Prabang and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luang Prabang pays 20% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $17.00 in Luang Prabang vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $118 vs $295 per month, with Luang Prabang 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

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

Average pay runs 20% higher in Luang Prabang, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,145 in Luang Prabang versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $251 in Luang Prabang versus $481 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Luang Prabang – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,366 in Luang Prabang versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Luang Prabang but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Luang Prabang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Luang Prabang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,366 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Luang Prabang hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Luang Prabang 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.

It comes down to priorities – Luang Prabang wins on affordability, Ubud, Bali on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.