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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $814 in Laoag City, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,231 in Laoag City, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,648 in Laoag City, rent included.

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

Ubud, Bali sits 4% 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 64.0K

$3.66 ₱222

-2.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$15.15 ₱920

114.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$3.29 ₱200

47.72%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.40 ₱145

14.58%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.84 ₱50.8

57.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.39 ₱23.77

79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.31 ₱79.5

122.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.14 ₱130

77.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.91 ₱116

-10.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.25 ₱76.2

97.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$0.95 ₱57.7

26.32%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.25 ₱137

8.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$8.13 ₱494

76.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$7.52 ₱456

-42.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$7.87 ₱478

55.15%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$3.01 ₱182

22.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.55 ₱94.0

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.70 ₱164

3.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.55 ₱94.2

50.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$2.23 ₱136

-11.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$2.53 ₱154

-8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.07 ₱65.3

-0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.71 ₱42.92

2.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$3.09 ₱187

6.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$8.08 ₱491

182.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.02 ₱61.9

175.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.03 ₱123

36.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.26 ₱15.78

11.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.81 ₱49.25

-44.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.24 ₱14.44

87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$2.09 ₱127

198.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.12 ₱67.9

-24.11%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$26.8K ₱1.6M

-2.98%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$20.7K ₱1.3M

52.82%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$113 ₱6,858

-28.50%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$33.32 ₱2,023

-87.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$26.86 ₱1,631

-9.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$15.33 ₱931

537.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$4.36 ₱265

47.94%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$6.06 ₱368

-33.33%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$153 ₱9,302

98.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$4,377 ₱265.8K

51.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$45.99 ₱2,792

17.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$26.64 ₱1,618

45.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$76.4 ₱4,636

12.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$52.2 ₱3,169

46.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$266 ₱16.2K

270.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$208 ₱12.6K

217.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$419 ₱25.5K

703.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$387 ₱23.5K

433.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$2,414 ₱146.6K

13.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$995 ₱60.4K

123.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$162 ₱9,859

0.65%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Laoag City: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $15.00 in Laoag City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 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 $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,222 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 $1,404 in Ubud, Bali and $814 in Laoag City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $153 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 $814, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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 $814 versus $1,404 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.