Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Lae

For one person, living is cheaper in Lae: $817 a month against $1,349 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,349

/mo nomad

Lae

🇵🇬 Papua New Guinea

$817

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Lae

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Lae actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,349 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $817 in Lae, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $1,349
Lae $817

A couple spends around $2,305 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,470 in Lae, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $2,305
Lae $1,470

A family of three spends $3,261 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,123 in Lae, rent included.

Ubud, Bali $3,261
Lae $2,123

Ubud, Bali costs about 65% more than Lae, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.32 Rp 59.9K

$23.60 PGK 103

-85.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.64 Rp 642.4K

$50.5 PGK 219

-29.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.53 Rp 99.7K

Cappuccino

$2.72 Rp 49.0K

$2.66 PGK 11.57

2.26%

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

$1.70 Rp 30.7K

$0.74 PGK 3.23

129.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.7K

$0.57 PGK 2.47

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.65 Rp 47.8K

$3.22 PGK 14.01

-17.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.38 Rp 79.0K

$5.10 PGK 22.13

-14.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 Rp 26.9K

$1.98 PGK 8.62

-24.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 Rp 41.0K

$1.45 PGK 6.28

57.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 21.5K

$1.24 PGK 5.39

-4.03%

Eggs

$2.04 Rp 36.7K

$3.96 PGK 17.18

-48.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.70 Rp 319.1K

$9.41 PGK 40.86

88.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$9.06 PGK 39.35

-56.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.19 Rp 219.7K

$10.59 PGK 45.99

15.11%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 65.9K

$4.30 PGK 18.67

-14.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 Rp 27.4K

$2.69 PGK 11.68

-43.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 40.2K

$5.87 PGK 25.50

-62.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.6K

$1.50 PGK 6.53

31.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.85 Rp 33.3K

$3.37 PGK 14.62

-45.10%

Onion (1kg)

$2.42 Rp 43.7K

$2.34 PGK 10.14

3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

$0.64 PGK 2.80

54.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 Rp 9,255

$0.85 PGK 3.70

-40.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 40.0K

$6.75 PGK 29.32

-67.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.24 Rp 400.9K

$12.26 PGK 53.2

81.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.26 Rp 40.7K

$2.59 PGK 11.27

-12.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 Rp 53.5K

$4.34 PGK 18.87

-31.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,525

$0.31 PGK 1.37

-19.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.82 Rp 141.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,923

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,753

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.41 Rp 97.5K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.9K

$1.03 PGK 4.46

-20.39%

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

$23.8K Rp 429.7M

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

$31.7K Rp 572.3M

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

$79.1 Rp 1.4M

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

$6.45 Rp 116.2K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.58 Rp 334.9K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.48 Rp 892.0K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.65 Rp 318.1K

Cinema Ticket

$4.27 Rp 77.0K

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

$491 Rp 8.8M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,674 Rp 102.3M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.64 Rp 804.7K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 Rp 630.1K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,125 Rp 20.3M

$436 PGK 1,892

158.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$671 Rp 12.1M

$260 PGK 1,131

157.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,565 Rp 64.3M

$1,227 PGK 5,328

190.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,723 Rp 31.1M

$619 PGK 2,690

178.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,732 Rp 49.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,284 Rp 41.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$156 PGK 676

5.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 25, 2026

Last update for Lae: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Ubud, Bali

$672 49.8%

Lae

–

Groceries & Markets

Ubud, Bali

$288 21.4%

Lae

–

Eating Out

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Lae

–

Clothing & Footwear

Ubud, Bali

$108 8%

Lae

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Ubud, Bali

$104 7.7%

Lae

–

Sport & Entertainment

Ubud, Bali

$58 4.3%

Lae

–

Getting Around

Ubud, Bali

$11 0.9%

Lae

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,125 in Ubud, Bali versus $436 in Lae. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 5% higher in Ubud, Bali, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36 in Ubud, Bali versus $50 in Lae. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $288 vs $303 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🇵🇬 Lae

🕒 Local time

19:57 7:57 PM

21:57 9:57 PM

2 h ahead of Ubud, Bali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

74,800

250,948

💱 Currency

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

Papua New Guinean Kina PGK K

📈 Exchange rate

100,000 IDR = 5.55 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR

1 PGK = 0.23 USD

1 PGK = 0.207 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

PGK, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇮🇩 Indonesian Rupiah (Rp)

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 18,025 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.55 USD). 1 EUR = 20,061 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.98 EUR).

Papua New Guinean Kina exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 USD = 4.34 PGK (1 PGK = 0.23 USD). 1 EUR = 4.83 PGK (1 PGK = 0.207 EUR).

USD to IDR in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Ubud, Bali Lae 3,500 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Ubud, Bali
Lae

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Lae: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 65% more than Lae, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from clothing. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,023 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,225 in Lae. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Lae, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $436 there versus $1,125 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,349 in Ubud, Bali and $817 in Lae. That’s a gap of about 65%.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Ubud, Bali – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$800 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $1,349 in Ubud, Bali and $817 in Lae. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $817 in Lae to $1,349 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Lae. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.