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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $958 in Koh Lanta.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,708 in Koh Lanta.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,458 in Koh Lanta.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 48% more expensive than Koh Lanta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Koh Lanta is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$3.79 ฿124

-6.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$36.38 ฿1,188

-10.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$7.00 ฿229

-29.29%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$2.39 ฿78.0

13.39%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$0.55 ฿17.98

143.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.29 ฿9.33

141.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$1.92 ฿62.6

52.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$2.91 ฿95.2

36.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$2.01 ฿65.8

-9.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.72 ฿56.1

46.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$2.04 ฿66.7

-43.14%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$2.07 ฿67.5

18.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$17.32 ฿566

-15.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$3.24 ฿106

33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$11.84 ฿387

2.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$3.03 ฿98.9

26.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.46 ฿47.75

6.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$2.13 ฿69.6

32.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$1.81 ฿59.0

28.73%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$1.44 ฿47.01

32.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$1.30 ฿42.43

69.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$0.92 ฿30.15

9.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.46 ฿15.11

69.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$3.88 ฿127

-14.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$17.27 ฿564

37.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.61 ฿52.6

73.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$2.52 ฿82.2

13.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$1.08 ฿35.18

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

$2.47 ฿80.8

-81.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$0.83 ฿27.26

-45.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$10.95 ฿358

-44.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.08 ฿35.20

-26.85%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$21.9K ฿716.7K

19.17%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

$26.6K ฿869.2K

20.69%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$118 ฿3,859

-32.35%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$13.25 ฿433

-69.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$17.75 ฿580

32.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$52.2 ฿1,706

88.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$14.19 ฿463

-53.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$7.82 ฿255

-46.93%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$633 ฿20.7K

-51.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$14.4K ฿470.1K

-54.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$56.3 ฿1,840

-1.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$33.56 ฿1,096

14.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$107 ฿3,493

-17.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$81.9 ฿2,674

-4.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

$365 ฿11.9K

175.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$263 ฿8,601

156.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$1,256 ฿41.0K

174.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$902 ฿29.5K

125.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$2,244 ฿73.3K

26.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$1,598 ฿52.2K

41.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.33

149.16%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Koh Lanta: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $365 in Koh Lanta. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $36.00 in Koh Lanta. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $263, with Koh Lanta cheaper for home cooking.

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 48% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $958 including rent). Koh Lanta is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $2,129 in Ubud, Bali and $1,436 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $365 in Koh Lanta. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $633 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 $36.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $958 in Koh Lanta versus $1,419 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 48% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.