Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Luang Prabang Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Luang Prabang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,571 in Luang Prabang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,408 in Luang Prabang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,244 in Luang Prabang.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 10% less than in Luang Prabang, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Luang Prabang 17% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$1.82 LAK 39.9K

95.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$17.44 LAK 380.9K

87.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$5.71 LAK 124.7K

-13.31%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.58 LAK 34.5K

71.52%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.89 LAK 19.4K

50.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.55 LAK 12.1K

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$1.30 LAK 28.3K

124.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$1.14 LAK 25.0K

247.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.69 LAK 37.0K

7.10%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.13 LAK 24.7K

123.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$2.27 LAK 49.5K

-48.90%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$2.38 LAK 52.0K

3.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$25.56 LAK 558.4K

-42.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$2.57 LAK 56.2K

68.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$4.51 LAK 98.4K

169.18%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$1.40 LAK 30.5K

174.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$2.23 LAK 48.6K

-30.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$2.22 LAK 48.6K

27.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$4.35 LAK 95.1K

-46.44%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.47 LAK 32.1K

29.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$0.95 LAK 20.8K

131.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.05 LAK 23.0K

-3.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.76 LAK 16.5K

2.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$1.95 LAK 42.6K

70.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$29.75 LAK 650.0K

-20.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.23 LAK 26.8K

126.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$0.82 LAK 17.9K

248.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.61 LAK 13.4K

-55.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$59.4 LAK 1.3M

-86.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$0.96 LAK 21.0K

-52.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$1.16 LAK 25.4K

-61.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$4.60 LAK 100.4K

32.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.16 LAK 25.3K

-31.90%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$28.5K LAK 623.1M

-8.33%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$29.5K LAK 643.6M

9.01%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$84.2 LAK 1.8M

-5.06%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$5.35 LAK 116.9K

-24.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$6.79 LAK 148.3K

246.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$83.6 LAK 1.8M

18.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$8.04 LAK 175.6K

-17.54%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$2.46 LAK 53.7K

68.70%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$253 LAK 5.5M

20.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$9,294 LAK 203.0M

-28.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$74.3 LAK 1.6M

-25.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$62.3 LAK 1.4M

-38.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$75.4 LAK 1.6M

17.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$54.0 LAK 1.2M

44.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$1,151 LAK 25.1M

-12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$846 LAK 18.5M

-20.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$1,954 LAK 42.7M

76.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$1,678 LAK 36.7M

21.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$2,639 LAK 57.7M

7.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$172 LAK 3.8M

1212.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$196 LAK 4.3M

-15.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.12

31.23%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Luang Prabang: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $1,151 in Luang Prabang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luang Prabang pays 19% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $17.00 in Luang Prabang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $288 per month, with Luang Prabang cheaper across the board.

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 Luang Prabang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in Luang Prabang. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Luang Prabang earns 19% 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 $1,151 in Luang Prabang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 639% less than in Luang Prabang. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $253 in Luang Prabang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,571 in Luang Prabang, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Luang Prabang. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,419 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Luang Prabang 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 11% less than in Luang Prabang. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.