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: $1,381 in Monrovia versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,415 in Monrovia versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,449 in Monrovia versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Monrovia costs roughly 1% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Monrovia 4% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.64 LRD 1,378
$3.57 Rp 64.5K
114.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$151 LRD 27.3K
$32.32 Rp 583.4K
368.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$11.17 LRD 2,014
$5.01 Rp 90.4K
122.95%
Cappuccino
$3.41 LRD 614
$2.82 Rp 51.0K
20.92%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.98 LRD 358
$1.35 Rp 24.4K
46.67%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75 LRD 496
$0.73 Rp 13.2K
276.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.70 LRD 486
$2.93 Rp 53.0K
-7.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 LRD 552
$3.94 Rp 71.1K
-22.34%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.15 LRD 387
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
20.79%
White Bread (500g)
$1.74 LRD 314
$2.45 Rp 44.2K
-28.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$5.08 LRD 917
$1.15 Rp 20.7K
341.74%
Eggs
$3.64 LRD 656
$2.41 Rp 43.6K
51.04%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$11.64 LRD 2,100
$14.33 Rp 258.7K
-18.77%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$12.05 LRD 2,174
$4.19 Rp 75.6K
187.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$35.72 LRD 6,443
$12.06 Rp 217.7K
196.19%
Apples (1kg)
$1.69 LRD 304
$3.64 Rp 65.7K
-53.57%
Banana (1kg)
$8.64 LRD 1,559
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
450.32%
Oranges (1kg)
$10.32 LRD 1,861
$2.79 Rp 50.3K
269.89%
Tomato (1kg)
$10.95 LRD 1,974
$2.24 Rp 40.5K
388.84%
Potato (1kg)
$2.32 LRD 419
$1.98 Rp 35.7K
17.17%
Onion (1kg)
$10.76 LRD 1,940
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
371.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$4.73 LRD 853
$1.05 Rp 19.0K
350.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.96 LRD 354
$0.79 Rp 14.2K
148.10%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.91 LRD 885
$3.19 Rp 57.6K
53.92%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.05 LRD 1,271
$23.49 Rp 424.1K
-69.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.46 LRD 444
$2.90 Rp 52.3K
-15.17%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.29 LRD 592
$2.76 Rp 49.7K
19.20%
🚌 Getting Around
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$2.96 LRD 534
$0.27 Rp 4,813
996.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$19.84 LRD 3,579
$8.37 Rp 151.1K
137.04%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.69 LRD 485
$0.45 Rp 8,167
497.78%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.27 LRD 229
$0.46 Rp 8,298
176.09%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$17.38 LRD 3,134
$6.07 Rp 109.6K
186.33%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 LRD 228
$0.86 Rp 15.6K
46.51%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$12.4K LRD 2.2M
$26.6K Rp 480.0M
-53.52%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$14.9K LRD 2.7M
$32.5K Rp 587.6M
-54.12%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$270 LRD 48.7K
$79.0 Rp 1.4M
241.81%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$22.42 LRD 4,044
$4.09 Rp 73.9K
448.17%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$91.6 LRD 16.5K
$23.85 Rp 430.5K
284.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.4 LRD 13.8K
$98.8 Rp 1.8M
-22.67%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.17 LRD 1,474
$6.35 Rp 114.7K
28.66%
Cinema Ticket
$9.82 LRD 1,772
$4.01 Rp 72.3K
144.89%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$130 LRD 23.4K
$297 Rp 5.4M
-56.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$904 LRD 163.0K
$6,602 Rp 119.2M
-86.31%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$18.08 LRD 3,260
$53.4 Rp 964.5K
-66.16%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.28 LRD 6,183
$38.11 Rp 688.1K
-10.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$56.7 LRD 10.2K
$88.7 Rp 1.6M
-36.03%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$69.8 LRD 12.6K
$76.6 Rp 1.4M
-8.86%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$678 LRD 122.2K
$1,020 Rp 18.4M
-33.55%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$93.7 LRD 16.9K
$680 Rp 12.3M
-86.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,826 LRD 329.3K
$3,469 Rp 62.6M
-47.37%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$262 LRD 47.3K
$2,090 Rp 37.7M
-87.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$2,729 Rp 49.3M
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$2,295 Rp 41.4M
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Monrovia
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$693 LRD 125.0K
$164 Rp 3.0M
323.36%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
5
13.28
-62.35%

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

Last update for Monrovia: July 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $678 in Monrovia and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monrovia pays 323% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $151 in Monrovia vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $536 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
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 1% 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 323% 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: $678 in Monrovia versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Monrovia compared to Ubud, Bali?
A monthly transit pass in Monrovia runs roughly 137% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Monrovia and in Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $130 in Monrovia versus $297 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Monrovia or in Ubud, Bali?
At $1,381 in Monrovia versus $1,392 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 $1,381 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 1% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Monrovia vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities