Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Laoag City

For one person, living is cheaper in Laoag City: $720 a month against $1,331 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $7,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali, Indonesia
Laoag City, Philippines
Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,331
/mo nomad
Laoag City
🇵🇭 Philippines
$720
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Laoag City

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 Laoag City actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,331 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $720 in Laoag City, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,331
  • Laoag City $720

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,097 in Laoag City, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,255
  • Laoag City $1,097

A family of three spends $3,180 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,475 in Laoag City, rent included.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,180
  • Laoag City $1,475

Ubud, Bali costs about 85% more than Laoag City, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Ubud, Bali and Laoag City are more affordable than the global median – Ubud, Bali 2% lower, Laoag City 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Laoag City
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.38 Rp 61.3K
$3.95 ₱250
-14.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.65 Rp 629.3K
$16.69 ₱1,058
107.61%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.57 Rp 101.2K
$2.79 ₱177
99.64%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.6K
$2.13 ₱135
23.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.54 Rp 28.0K
$0.69 ₱43.58
123.19%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 Rp 11.6K
$0.31 ₱19.56
106.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.67 Rp 48.4K
$1.19 ₱75.3
124.37%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.26 Rp 77.4K
$2.04 ₱130
108.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Laoag City
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.46 Rp 26.6K
$1.65 ₱105
-11.52%
White Bread (500g)
$2.29 Rp 41.6K
$1.15 ₱72.8
99.13%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.11 Rp 20.1K
$0.90 ₱56.8
23.33%
Eggs
$2.10 Rp 38.1K
$1.92 ₱122
9.38%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.94 Rp 289.5K
$5.43 ₱344
193.55%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.88 Rp 70.5K
$4.18 ₱265
-7.18%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.40 Rp 207.1K
$6.94 ₱440
64.27%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 64.5K
$2.39 ₱152
48.54%
Banana (1kg)
$1.54 Rp 27.9K
$1.59 ₱100
-3.14%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.23 Rp 40.5K
$2.40 ₱152
-7.08%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.97 Rp 35.8K
$1.11 ₱70.2
77.48%
Potato (1kg)
$1.86 Rp 33.7K
$2.04 ₱129
-8.82%
Onion (1kg)
$2.42 Rp 43.9K
$2.19 ₱139
10.50%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.02 Rp 18.6K
$1.04 ₱65.9
-1.92%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 Rp 9,486
$0.53 ₱33.64
-1.89%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.20 Rp 39.9K
$2.92 ₱185
-24.66%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.79 Rp 395.7K
$7.50 ₱476
190.53%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.33 Rp 42.2K
$0.97 ₱61.2
140.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.97 Rp 53.9K
$1.93 ₱122
53.89%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Laoag City
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.25 Rp 4,547
$0.22 ₱13.94
13.64%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.17 Rp 148.5K
$12.26 ₱777
-33.36%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,950
$0.75 ₱47.76
-41.33%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.47 Rp 8,499
$0.23 ₱14.61
104.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.60 Rp 101.7K
$1.91 ₱121
193.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$1.00 ₱63.2
-17.00%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.4K Rp 444.0M
$21.0K ₱1.3M
16.28%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.7K Rp 575.6M
$18.8K ₱1.2M
68.54%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Laoag City
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$77.5 Rp 1.4M
$119 ₱7,546
-34.92%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.14 Rp 111.6K
$15.64 ₱991
-60.74%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.92 Rp 343.5K
$23.94 ₱1,517
-20.97%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Laoag City
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 Rp 926.1K
$31.30 ₱1,984
62.91%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.25 Rp 331.4K
$5.11 ₱324
257.14%
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 79.6K
$5.06 ₱321
-13.44%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Laoag City
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$492 Rp 8.9M
$131 ₱8,327
274.81%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$12.2K Rp 222.0M
$7,744 ₱490.9K
57.81%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Laoag City
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.16 Rp 820.2K
$32.77 ₱2,077
37.81%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.89 Rp 633.6K
$19.23 ₱1,219
81.44%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$78.3 Rp 1.4M
$69.8 ₱4,425
12.19%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.9 Rp 1.4M
$55.0 ₱3,487
41.56%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Laoag City
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,078 Rp 19.6M
$247 ₱15.6K
336.94%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$665 Rp 12.1M
$167 ₱10.6K
298.11%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,510 Rp 63.7M
$497 ₱31.5K
605.94%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,671 Rp 30.3M
$344 ₱21.8K
385.62%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,340 Rp 42.5M
$2,674 ₱169.5K
-12.50%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,236 Rp 40.6M
$1,094 ₱69.3K
104.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Laoag City
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$159 ₱10.1K
4.42%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
6.92
99.13%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: November 1, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$665
Laoag City
$167 74.9% $498
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$279
Laoag City
$179 36.1% $101
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$106
Laoag City
$80 25.2% $27
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Laoag City
$80 24.8% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$103
Laoag City
$159 54.7% $56
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$60
Laoag City
$41 30.7% $18
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Laoag City
$15 25.9% $3.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,078 in Ubud, Bali versus $247 in Laoag City. 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 4% 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 $35 in Ubud, Bali versus $17 in Laoag City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $279 vs $179 – making Laoag City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇵🇭 Laoag City
🕒 Local time
00:55 12:55 AM
00:55 12:55 AM
Same time as Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
112,117
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 18,161 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.51 USD). 1 EUR = 20,333 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.92 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 63.38 PHP (100 PHP = 1.58 USD). 1 EUR = 70.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Laoag City 3,030 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Laoag City

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 Laoag City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Laoag City?
Ubud, Bali costs about 85% more than Laoag City, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ubud, Bali and in Laoag City?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,996 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,080 in Laoag City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Ubud, Bali or Laoag City?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Laoag City, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $247 there versus $1,078 in Ubud, Bali.
How much does it cost to live in Ubud, Bali compared to Laoag City?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,331 in Ubud, Bali and $720 in Laoag City. That makes Laoag City about 46% cheaper.
How expensive is transport in Ubud, Bali compared to Laoag City?
Public transport costs about 33% less in Ubud, Bali. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $800/month in Ubud, Bali or in Laoag City?
A $800 monthly budget goes further in Laoag City, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,331. In Laoag City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Laoag City – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Should I move to Ubud, Bali or to Laoag City?
If budget matters most, go with Laoag City. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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