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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,366 in Luang Prabang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,093 in Luang Prabang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,820 in Luang Prabang.

Monthly costs are close between Ubud, Bali and Luang Prabang; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Luang Prabang 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$1.74 LAK 38.8K

97.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$17.13 LAK 381.9K

111.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$5.39 LAK 120.2K

5.94%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$1.51 LAK 33.6K

76.82%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.84 LAK 18.8K

108.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.58 LAK 13.0K

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.29 LAK 28.8K

128.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$1.09 LAK 24.4K

314.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.64 LAK 36.6K

-1.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$24.85 LAK 553.9K

-28.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$1.30 LAK 28.9K

185.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.05 LAK 23.5K

-3.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.73 LAK 16.4K

-24.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.16 LAK 25.8K

108.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$0.64 LAK 14.2K

368.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.56 LAK 12.4K

-51.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$57.4 LAK 1.3M

-84.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$0.87 LAK 19.5K

-44.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.14 LAK 25.4K

-62.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$4.55 LAK 101.5K

23.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.20 LAK 26.8K

-33.33%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$27.5K LAK 613.5M

-9.37%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$28.4K LAK 632.5M

11.75%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$82.0 LAK 1.8M

-0.62%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$5.50 LAK 122.6K

18.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$6.91 LAK 154.0K

171.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$81.9 LAK 1.8M

-30.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$7.63 LAK 170.0K

145.48%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$2.45 LAK 54.7K

85.31%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$251 LAK 5.6M

91.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$9,045 LAK 201.6M

-36.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$71.3 LAK 1.6M

-36.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$60.2 LAK 1.3M

-40.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$71.8 LAK 1.6M

11.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$50.4 LAK 1.1M

55.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$1,145 LAK 25.5M

-2.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$852 LAK 19.0M

-18.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,864 LAK 41.5M

95.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$1,671 LAK 37.2M

3.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$2,549 LAK 56.8M

9.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$171 LAK 3.8M

1237.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$202 LAK 4.5M

-16.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.12

36.17%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Luang Prabang: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $1,145 in Luang Prabang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Luang Prabang pays 20% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $17.00 in Luang Prabang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $118 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

On paper, salaries run 20% lower in Luang Prabang. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,145 in Luang Prabang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $251 in Luang Prabang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Luang Prabang – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,366 in Luang Prabang versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Luang Prabang but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Luang Prabang the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Luang Prabang delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,366 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Luang Prabang 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.

It comes down to priorities – Luang Prabang wins on affordability, Ubud, Bali on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.