Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Laoag City Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Laoag City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $808 in Laoag City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,233 in Laoag City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,658 in Laoag City, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 72% more than Laoag City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Laoag City is 39% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$3.65 ₱223

-2.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$14.92 ₱913

116.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$3.37 ₱207

48.66%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.38 ₱146

18.49%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.82 ₱50.1

64.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.36 ₱22.12

102.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.29 ₱79.1

127.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$2.18 ₱133

80.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.83 ₱112

-2.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.25 ₱76.6

96.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$0.95 ₱57.9

21.05%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.32 ₱142

3.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$7.86 ₱481

82.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$7.83 ₱479

-46.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$7.93 ₱485

52.08%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$2.94 ₱180

23.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.60 ₱97.7

-1.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.58 ₱158

8.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.62 ₱99.2

38.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$2.19 ₱134

-9.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$2.64 ₱161

-13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.06 ₱64.8

-0.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.71 ₱43.44

11.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$3.01 ₱184

5.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$8.32 ₱509

182.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$0.97 ₱59.1

198.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$1.96 ₱120

40.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.26 ₱15.91

3.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$0.82 ₱50.3

-45.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$0.26 ₱15.98

76.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$2.14 ₱131

183.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.11 ₱68.0

-22.52%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$26.6K ₱1.6M

-0.01%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

56.95%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$111 ₱6,790

-28.76%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$32.65 ₱1,999

-87.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$26.91 ₱1,647

-11.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$14.87 ₱910

564.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$4.44 ₱272

43.02%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$5.78 ₱354

-30.62%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$155 ₱9,468

92.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$4,263 ₱260.9K

54.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$45.67 ₱2,796

16.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$26.95 ₱1,650

41.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$76.5 ₱4,680

15.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$53.7 ₱3,286

42.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$266 ₱16.3K

282.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$202 ₱12.3K

237.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$427 ₱26.1K

713.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$393 ₱24.0K

432.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$2,401 ₱147.0K

13.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$1,062 ₱65.0K

116.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$162 ₱9,915

1.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.67

99.10%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $266 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 1% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $15.00 in Laoag City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $223 – making Laoag City the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Ubud, Bali costs about 72% more than Laoag City, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,212 in Laoag City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Laoag City, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,392 in Ubud, Bali and $808 in Laoag City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $297 per month in Ubud, Bali and $155 in Laoag City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Laoag City, where all-in costs run around $808, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. In Laoag City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Laoag City costs $808 versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Laoag City. 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.