Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Koh Lanta Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Koh Lanta

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $964 in Koh Lanta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,562 in Koh Lanta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,159 in Koh Lanta.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 42% more expensive than in Koh Lanta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Koh Lanta is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$3.51 ฿117

-1.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$25.88 ฿860

40.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$7.19 ฿239

-20.58%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$2.31 ฿76.8

15.58%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$0.67 ฿22.37

161.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.37 ฿12.17

135.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.98 ฿65.8

48.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$2.96 ฿98.3

52.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.69 ฿56.2

-4.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.27 ฿42.08

83.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.42 ฿47.32

-21.83%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$1.92 ฿64.0

14.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$17.83 ฿593

-0.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$3.04 ฿101

34.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

$10.02 ฿333

21.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$2.72 ฿90.5

36.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.47 ฿49.02

8.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$1.99 ฿66.3

14.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.90 ฿63.1

2.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.33 ฿44.32

43.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.25 ฿41.41

86.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.98 ฿32.74

3.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$0.49 ฿16.25

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$3.89 ฿129

-42.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$17.12 ฿569

34.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.67 ฿55.6

44.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.52 ฿83.7

19.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

$1.84 ฿61.2

-85.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$2.46 ฿81.8

-80.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$0.82 ฿27.38

-47.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$3.16 ฿105

78.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.15 ฿38.10

-30.43%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$21.7K ฿723.1K

14.69%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$21.8K ฿723.9K

45.66%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$95.6 ฿3,178

-14.76%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$10.59 ฿352

-38.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$16.68 ฿554

12.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$45.24 ฿1,504

25.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

$9.66 ฿321

93.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$6.45 ฿214

-29.61%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$502 ฿16.7K

-4.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

$10.6K ฿353.1K

-46.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$60.4 ฿2,007

-24.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$27.80 ฿924

29.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$91.8 ฿3,052

-12.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$85.1 ฿2,828

-7.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$436 ฿14.5K

155.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$299 ฿9,957

132.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$1,289 ฿42.9K

182.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$722 ฿24.0K

140.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$2,172 ฿72.2K

28.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$1,531 ฿50.9K

49.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.57

147.40%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Koh Lanta: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $436 in Koh Lanta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $26.00 in Koh Lanta for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $246 per month, with Koh Lanta 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

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

Ubud, Bali and Koh Lanta differ by about 42% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $964 including rent). Koh Lanta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $1,446 in Koh Lanta 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $436 in Koh Lanta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $502 in Koh Lanta. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Koh Lanta – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $964 in Koh Lanta versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Koh Lanta but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Koh Lanta the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Koh Lanta 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 Koh Lanta gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.