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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,300 in Monrovia versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,887 in Monrovia versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,474 in Monrovia versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Monrovia costs roughly 5% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Monrovia is 5% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.39 LRD 1,273
$3.44 Rp 61.0K
114.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$36.31 Rp 644.2K
-
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.06 LRD 1,907
$5.71 Rp 101.2K
93.70%
Cappuccino
$3.04 LRD 524
$2.67 Rp 47.4K
13.86%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94 LRD 335
$1.75 Rp 31.0K
10.86%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.04 LRD 351
$0.87 Rp 15.5K
134.48%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$4.04 LRD 696
$2.95 Rp 52.4K
36.95%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.02 LRD 521
$4.52 Rp 80.2K
-33.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.15 LRD 370
$1.62 Rp 28.7K
32.72%
White Bread (500g)
$1.81 LRD 313
$2.33 Rp 41.3K
-22.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.25 LRD 905
$1.11 Rp 19.6K
372.97%
Eggs
$3.68 LRD 634
$2.20 Rp 39.0K
67.27%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.94 LRD 1,368
$17.69 Rp 313.9K
-55.12%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.75 LRD 2,025
$4.10 Rp 72.7K
186.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.53 LRD 2,331
$12.18 Rp 216.0K
11.08%
Apples (1kg)
$1.60 LRD 276
$3.71 Rp 65.8K
-56.87%
Banana (1kg)
$8.23 LRD 1,418
$1.59 Rp 28.2K
417.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$10.28 LRD 1,771
$2.28 Rp 40.5K
350.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$11.10 LRD 1,913
$1.95 Rp 34.7K
469.23%
Potato (1kg)
$2.17 LRD 375
$1.91 Rp 33.8K
13.61%
Onion (1kg)
$10.77 LRD 1,856
$2.33 Rp 41.4K
362.23%
Lettuce (1 head)
$4.76 LRD 821
$1.01 Rp 17.9K
371.29%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.99 LRD 342
$0.55 Rp 9,791
261.82%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$5.12 LRD 883
$2.23 Rp 39.6K
129.60%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.02 LRD 1,211
$23.07 Rp 409.3K
-69.57%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.53 LRD 435
$2.42 Rp 42.9K
4.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.53 LRD 608
$3.00 Rp 53.2K
17.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.09 LRD 532
$0.27 Rp 4,823
1044.44%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.12 LRD 3,468
$8.98 Rp 159.4K
124.05%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.95 LRD 335
$0.48 Rp 8,582
306.25%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.81 LRD 313
$0.43 Rp 7,693
320.93%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$24.79 LRD 4,273
$5.64 Rp 100.1K
339.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.27 LRD 220
$0.80 Rp 14.3K
58.75%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.7K LRD 3.4M
$24.9K Rp 442.5M
-21.14%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$15.0K LRD 2.6M
$31.7K Rp 562.6M
-52.56%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$149 LRD 25.8K
$81.5 Rp 1.4M
83.40%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.31 LRD 3,846
$6.49 Rp 115.2K
243.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$183 LRD 31.5K
$18.77 Rp 333.0K
873.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$62.8 LRD 10.8K
$56.9 Rp 1.0M
10.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$10.16 LRD 1,751
$18.73 Rp 332.3K
-45.76%
Cinema Ticket
$4.86 LRD 838
$4.54 Rp 80.5K
7.05%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$101 LRD 17.4K
$481 Rp 8.5M
-78.96%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,018 LRD 175.5K
$5,711 Rp 101.3M
-82.17%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.62 LRD 4,243
$45.52 Rp 807.5K
-45.91%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.27 LRD 5,562
$35.88 Rp 636.6K
-10.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$54.5 LRD 9,393
$80.4 Rp 1.4M
-32.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$93.8 LRD 16.2K
$78.7 Rp 1.4M
19.19%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$255 LRD 43.9K
$1,115 Rp 19.8M
-77.15%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$96.3 LRD 16.6K
$698 Rp 12.4M
-86.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$653 LRD 112.5K
$3,637 Rp 64.5M
-82.04%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$269 LRD 46.4K
$1,737 Rp 30.8M
-84.52%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,784 Rp 49.4M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,290 Rp 40.6M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$686 LRD 118.3K
$168 Rp 3.0M
308.49%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
13.78
-

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

Last update for Monrovia: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $255 in Monrovia and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monrovia pays 308% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

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
Monrovia vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Monrovia or Ubud, Bali?
Monrovia wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Monrovia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Monrovia or in Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 308% higher in Monrovia, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Monrovia compared to Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $255 in Monrovia versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Monrovia and in Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $101 in Monrovia versus $481 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How expensive is transport in Monrovia compared to Ubud, Bali?
A monthly transit pass in Monrovia runs roughly 124% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Monrovia or in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,300 in Monrovia versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Monrovia but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Monrovia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Monrovia or Ubud, Bali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Monrovia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,300 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Monrovia hard to pass up.
How safe is Monrovia compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Monrovia 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 Monrovia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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