Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Lihir Island Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Lihir Island

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $246 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $456 in Lihir Island, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $667 in Lihir Island, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 485% more than Lihir Island, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Lihir Island is 82% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$4.75 PGK 20.61

-24.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$28.49 PGK 124

14.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$5.90 PGK 25.63

-14.07%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.42 PGK 10.51

16.94%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.70 PGK 3.02

91.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.70 PGK 3.06

-1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$3.64 PGK 15.81

-17.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$2.41 PGK 10.46

59.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.65 PGK 7.16

5.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.46 PGK 6.36

73.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.47 PGK 6.37

-19.05%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.32 PGK 10.09

4.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$4.37 PGK 18.96

-4.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$2.36 PGK 10.26

405.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.43 PGK 6.20

12.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$2.43 PGK 10.53

-21.40%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$0.94 PGK 4.06

132.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.50 PGK 2.18

44.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$5.87 PGK 25.49

-46.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$9.29 PGK 40.32

152.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$2.39 PGK 10.36

14.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.43 PGK 10.54

18.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for Lihir Island: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $28.00 in Lihir Island. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $134 – making Lihir Island 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 Lihir Island: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, $246 in Lihir Island – roughly 485% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $369 in Lihir Island. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $28.00 in Lihir Island. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,438 in Ubud, Bali and $246 in Lihir Island. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Lihir Island, where all-in costs run around $246, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Lihir Island it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $246 in Lihir Island to $1,438 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Lihir Island. 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.