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: $1,571 in Luang Prabang versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,408 in Luang Prabang versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,244 in Luang Prabang versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Luang Prabang is roughly 11% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Luang Prabang 17% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.82 LAK 39.8K

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

-48.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.44 LAK 380.6K

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-46.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 LAK 124.6K

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

15.35%

Cappuccino

$1.58 LAK 34.4K

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-41.70%

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

$0.89 LAK 19.4K

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-33.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.55 LAK 12.1K

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-21.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 LAK 28.3K

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

-55.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.14 LAK 24.9K

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

-71.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 LAK 36.9K

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-6.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.13 LAK 24.7K

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-55.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.27 LAK 49.5K

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

95.69%

Eggs

$2.38 LAK 51.9K

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-3.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.56 LAK 558.0K

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

73.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.57 LAK 56.1K

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

-40.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.51 LAK 98.4K

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-62.85%

Apples (1kg)

$1.40 LAK 30.5K

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-63.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 LAK 48.6K

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

42.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 LAK 48.5K

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-21.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.35 LAK 95.0K

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

86.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 LAK 32.0K

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-23.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 LAK 20.8K

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-56.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 LAK 22.9K

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

3.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 LAK 16.5K

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-2.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 LAK 42.6K

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

-41.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$29.75 LAK 649.5K

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

25.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 LAK 26.8K

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-55.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.82 LAK 17.9K

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

-71.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 LAK 13.4K

$0.27 Rp 4,800

125.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.4 LAK 1.3M

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

639.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 LAK 20.9K

$0.46 Rp 8,150

108.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 LAK 25.4K

$0.45 Rp 8,037

157.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.60 LAK 100.4K

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

-24.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 LAK 25.3K

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

46.84%

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

$28.5K LAK 622.7M

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

9.09%

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

$29.5K LAK 643.2M

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-8.27%

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

$84.2 LAK 1.8M

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

5.33%

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

$5.35 LAK 116.8K

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

31.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.79 LAK 148.2K

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

-71.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$83.6 LAK 1.8M

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-15.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.04 LAK 175.4K

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

21.27%

Cinema Ticket

$2.46 LAK 53.6K

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

-40.72%

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

$253 LAK 5.5M

$304 Rp 5.4M

-16.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,294 LAK 202.9M

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

40.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$74.3 LAK 1.6M

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

33.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$62.3 LAK 1.4M

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

62.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 LAK 1.6M

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-14.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$54.0 LAK 1.2M

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-30.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,151 LAK 25.1M

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

14.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 LAK 18.5M

$675 Rp 12.1M

25.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,954 LAK 42.7M

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-43.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,678 LAK 36.6M

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-17.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,639 LAK 57.6M

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

-7.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$172 LAK 3.8M

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-92.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$196 LAK 4.3M

$165 Rp 3.0M

18.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.12

13.28

-23.80%

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

Last update for Luang Prabang: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,151 in Luang Prabang and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luang Prabang pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Luang Prabang vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $288 vs $302 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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Luang Prabang. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Luang Prabang pays 19% more on average, 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: $1,151 in Luang Prabang versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 639% less than in Luang Prabang. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $253 in Luang Prabang versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,571 in Luang Prabang, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Luang Prabang. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,419 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali 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.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Luang Prabang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.