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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,424 in Vientiane.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,245 in Vientiane.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,066 in Vientiane.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$2.27 LAK 49.6K

56.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$19.58 LAK 427.4K

67.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$4.47 LAK 97.5K

10.74%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.63 LAK 35.6K

66.26%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.52 LAK 11.3K

157.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.37 LAK 8,126

89.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$1.18 LAK 25.9K

147.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$1.70 LAK 37.2K

132.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.97 LAK 43.0K

-8.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.91 LAK 19.8K

176.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.92 LAK 20.1K

26.09%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.77 LAK 38.7K

38.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$28.42 LAK 620.4K

-48.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$6.68 LAK 145.7K

-35.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$6.26 LAK 136.7K

93.93%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$1.99 LAK 43.5K

92.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.09 LAK 23.8K

43.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$2.02 LAK 44.2K

40.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.37 LAK 29.9K

70.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.68 LAK 36.6K

13.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.04 LAK 22.7K

111.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.61 LAK 13.4K

65.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.39 LAK 8,424

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$2.00 LAK 43.6K

66.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$9.99 LAK 218.2K

137.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$0.99 LAK 21.5K

181.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$1.71 LAK 37.4K

67.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.44 LAK 9,696

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$50.1 LAK 1.1M

-83.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$1.97 LAK 43.0K

-76.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.19 LAK 26.0K

-62.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$4.69 LAK 102.3K

30.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.42 LAK 31.0K

-44.37%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$28.6K LAK 624.7M

-8.62%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$30.2K LAK 658.3M

6.50%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$73.8 LAK 1.6M

8.32%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$32.14 LAK 701.6K

-87.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$11.43 LAK 249.6K

105.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$51.1 LAK 1.1M

93.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$5.85 LAK 127.7K

13.33%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$2.45 LAK 53.4K

69.39%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$336 LAK 7.3M

-9.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$9,402 LAK 205.2M

-29.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$28.33 LAK 618.4K

96.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$68.9 LAK 1.5M

-44.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$59.5 LAK 1.3M

49.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$43.02 LAK 939.0K

81.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$859 LAK 18.7M

17.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$777 LAK 17.0M

-13.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$936 LAK 20.4M

267.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$1,640 LAK 35.8M

24.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$2,357 LAK 51.4M

20.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$1,120 LAK 24.5M

102.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$269 LAK 5.9M

-38.52%

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 Vientiane: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $859 in Vientiane. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Vientiane pays 63% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $20.00 in Vientiane for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $251 per month, with Vientiane 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 Vientiane: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

On paper, Vientiane earns 63% 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 $859 in Vientiane. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 523% less than in Vientiane. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Shoppers in Vientiane pay roughly 20% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,424 in Vientiane, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Vientiane. 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 Vientiane 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 – Ubud, Bali wins on affordability, Vientiane on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.