Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Lautoka Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Lautoka

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $697 in Lautoka.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,222 in Lautoka.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,746 in Lautoka.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 104% more expensive than Lautoka, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Lautoka is 48% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$5.02 FJD 11.00

-29.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$45.40 FJD 99.4

-27.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$6.61 FJD 14.48

-25.11%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$3.21 FJD 7.03

-15.58%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$1.31 FJD 2.87

2.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.67 FJD 1.46

4.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$2.41 FJD 5.28

21.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$3.49 FJD 7.65

13.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.33 FJD 2.91

36.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.53 FJD 1.17

375.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$0.82 FJD 1.79

41.46%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$3.22 FJD 7.04

-23.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$9.26 FJD 20.28

58.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$7.15 FJD 15.66

-39.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$7.50 FJD 16.43

61.87%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$2.53 FJD 5.54

51.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$2.51 FJD 5.49

-37.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$2.83 FJD 6.20

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$3.09 FJD 6.77

-24.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$0.96 FJD 2.09

98.96%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$0.95 FJD 2.08

131.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$0.92 FJD 2.02

9.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.80 FJD 1.75

-2.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$9.42 FJD 20.63

-64.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$5.55 FJD 12.14

327.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$2.24 FJD 4.90

24.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$2.61 FJD 5.72

9.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.70 FJD 1.53

-61.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$37.66 FJD 82.5

-78.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$0.64 FJD 1.39

-28.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.44 FJD 0.97

2.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$2.73 FJD 5.97

123.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.34 FJD 2.93

-41.04%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$19.3K FJD 42.3K

35.47%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$22.4K FJD 49.1K

43.31%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$46.45 FJD 102

72.10%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$12.98 FJD 28.43

-68.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$23.91 FJD 52.4

-1.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$3.48 FJD 7.61

19.25%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$230 FJD 503

32.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$14.0K FJD 30.6K

-52.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$17.68 FJD 38.73

214.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$17.50 FJD 38.32

118.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$66.1 FJD 145

34.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$60.3 FJD 132

29.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$354 FJD 776

184.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$133 FJD 292

406.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$856 FJD 1,874

302.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$393 FJD 862

418.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$712 FJD 1,560

-76.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

89.71%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Lautoka: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $354 in Lautoka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lautoka pays 331% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $45.00 in Lautoka. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $221, with Lautoka cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lautoka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Lautoka differ by about 104% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $697 including rent). Lautoka is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Lautoka earns 331% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $354 in Lautoka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $697 in Lautoka – a 104% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Lautoka runs roughly 369% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $697 in Lautoka versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Lautoka but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Lautoka the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Lautoka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Lautoka gentler on the wallet – expenses run 104% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.