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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,381 in Monrovia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,415 in Monrovia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,449 in Monrovia.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 1% more expensive than in Monrovia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Monrovia 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$7.64 LRD 1,378

-53.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$151 LRD 27.3K

-78.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$11.17 LRD 2,014

-55.15%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$3.41 LRD 614

-17.30%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$1.98 LRD 358

-31.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$2.75 LRD 496

-73.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.70 LRD 486

8.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$3.06 LRD 552

28.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$2.15 LRD 387

-17.21%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.74 LRD 314

40.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$5.08 LRD 917

-77.36%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$3.64 LRD 656

-33.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$11.64 LRD 2,100

23.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$12.05 LRD 2,174

-65.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$35.72 LRD 6,443

-66.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$1.69 LRD 304

115.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$8.64 LRD 1,559

-81.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$10.32 LRD 1,861

-72.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$10.95 LRD 1,974

-79.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$2.32 LRD 419

-14.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$10.76 LRD 1,940

-78.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$4.73 LRD 853

-77.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.96 LRD 354

-59.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$4.91 LRD 885

-35.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$7.05 LRD 1,271

233.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$2.46 LRD 444

17.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$3.29 LRD 592

-16.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$2.96 LRD 534

-90.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

$19.84 LRD 3,579

-57.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$2.69 LRD 485

-83.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.27 LRD 229

-63.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$17.38 LRD 3,134

-65.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.26 LRD 228

-31.75%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$12.4K LRD 2.2M

115.16%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$14.9K LRD 2.7M

117.98%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$270 LRD 48.7K

-70.74%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$22.42 LRD 4,044

-81.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$91.6 LRD 16.5K

-73.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$76.4 LRD 13.8K

29.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$8.17 LRD 1,474

-22.28%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$9.82 LRD 1,772

-59.16%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$130 LRD 23.4K

128.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$904 LRD 163.0K

630.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$18.08 LRD 3,260

195.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$34.28 LRD 6,183

11.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$56.7 LRD 10.2K

56.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$69.8 LRD 12.6K

9.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$678 LRD 122.2K

50.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$93.7 LRD 16.9K

626.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$1,826 LRD 329.3K

89.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$262 LRD 47.3K

697.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

$693 LRD 125.0K

-76.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

165.60%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Monrovia: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali and $678 in Monrovia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monrovia pays 323% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $151 in Monrovia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 vs $536 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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 Monrovia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monrovia wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Monrovia the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 323% lower in Monrovia. 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: $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $678 in Monrovia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Monrovia runs roughly 137% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $130 in Monrovia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,381 in Monrovia versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Monrovia but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Monrovia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Monrovia delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,381 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Monrovia hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Monrovia 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 Monrovia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.