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 $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $804 in Laoag City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,206 in Laoag City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,609 in Laoag City, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 79% more than Laoag City, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Laoag City is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$3.46 ₱213

3.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$15.29 ₱943

113.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$3.40 ₱210

49.12%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.37 ₱146

19.41%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.76 ₱47.09

76.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.36 ₱22.46

91.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$1.31 ₱80.7

128.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.08 ₱128

85.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.83 ₱113

-4.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.28 ₱78.7

98.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$0.93 ₱57.2

27.96%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.25 ₱139

8.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$8.18 ₱505

79.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$7.56 ₱466

-44.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$7.94 ₱490

50.38%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.94 ₱181

25.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.52 ₱93.5

5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$2.72 ₱167

-1.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.60 ₱98.5

45.63%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$2.22 ₱137

-13.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$2.50 ₱154

-12.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.12 ₱69.2

-5.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.77 ₱47.68

-6.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$3.01 ₱186

3.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$8.27 ₱510

184.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.01 ₱62.4

171.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.03 ₱125

41.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.28 ₱17.48

3.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$0.82 ₱50.6

-45.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$0.26 ₱16.04

61.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$2.07 ₱128

197.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.06 ₱65.6

-20.75%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$26.3K ₱1.6M

-0.35%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$20.5K ₱1.3M

58.17%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$113 ₱6,939

-30.29%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$32.85 ₱2,026

-87.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$26.65 ₱1,644

-8.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$14.77 ₱911

553.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$4.33 ₱267

46.65%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$6.02 ₱371

-32.89%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$152 ₱9,386

98.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$4,276 ₱263.8K

52.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$45.94 ₱2,834

17.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$27.11 ₱1,672

40.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$76.8 ₱4,735

13.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$53.6 ₱3,303

47.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$263 ₱16.2K

284.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$204 ₱12.6K

230.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$423 ₱26.1K

702.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$400 ₱24.7K

424.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$2,376 ₱146.6K

25.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$164 ₱10.1K

5.64%

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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $263 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 6% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $15.00 in Laoag City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $224 – 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 79% 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 $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,206 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 $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $804 in Laoag City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $303 per month in Ubud, Bali and $152 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 $804, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. 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 $804 versus $1,438 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.