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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,383 in Monrovia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,463 in Monrovia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,543 in Monrovia.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 2% more expensive than Monrovia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 4% above, Monrovia 3% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$7.30 LRD 1,324

-51.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$152 LRD 27.6K

-78.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$11.07 LRD 2,007

-56.10%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$3.32 LRD 601

-17.17%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.97 LRD 357

-32.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$2.63 LRD 477

-73.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.69 LRD 487

8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.02 LRD 547

25.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$2.14 LRD 389

-20.09%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.83 LRD 331

34.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$5.27 LRD 955

-77.23%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$3.57 LRD 647

-31.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$11.86 LRD 2,151

21.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$11.94 LRD 2,165

-63.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$35.73 LRD 6,480

-65.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$1.66 LRD 301

121.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$8.49 LRD 1,541

-81.74%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$10.23 LRD 1,856

-72.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$11.16 LRD 2,023

-79.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$2.23 LRD 405

-11.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$10.60 LRD 1,922

-78.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$4.58 LRD 830

-76.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.97 LRD 357

-62.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$4.90 LRD 889

-33.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$6.82 LRD 1,236

234.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.43 LRD 441

15.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$3.33 LRD 604

-16.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$2.92 LRD 530

-90.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$19.78 LRD 3,586

-59.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$2.73 LRD 495

-83.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.25 LRD 227

-64.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$17.33 LRD 3,143

-63.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.26 LRD 229

-32.54%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$12.5K LRD 2.3M

107.62%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$14.9K LRD 2.7M

112.70%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$270 LRD 49.0K

-70.14%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$22.13 LRD 4,014

-81.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$95.0 LRD 17.2K

-74.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$75.5 LRD 13.7K

29.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$8.23 LRD 1,492

-21.63%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$9.95 LRD 1,805

-59.40%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$131 LRD 23.8K

131.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$895 LRD 162.3K

639.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$18.05 LRD 3,274

200.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$34.15 LRD 6,192

13.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$56.9 LRD 10.3K

51.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$67.9 LRD 12.3K

12.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$676 LRD 122.7K

45.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$96.6 LRD 17.5K

581.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$1,858 LRD 336.9K

81.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$266 LRD 48.2K

676.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$713 LRD 129.3K

-77.07%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Monrovia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $676 in Monrovia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Monrovia pays 336% 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 $152 in Monrovia for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 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 2% 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, Monrovia earns 336% 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $676 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 145% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $131 in Monrovia. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,383 in Monrovia versus $1,404 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 $1,383 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 2% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.