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Labuan Bajo vs Lombok cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฎ๐ฉ Labuan Bajo
๐ฎ๐ฉ Lombok
At a glance
- Where Lombok is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (92%โ), Half-day tour (57%โ), Hotel night (29%โ)
- Where Labuan Bajo is clearly cheaper: Studio rent (month) (40%โ), SIM card (38%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (25%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Both cities are about equally easy to travel. Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Labuan Bajo 3 vs Lombok 4. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Labuan Bajo | Lombok | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | Rp 35,000$2.15 | Rp 30,000$1.84 | Lombok โ14% |
| Street food1 item | Rp 25,000$1.53 | Rp 20,000$1.23 | Lombok โ20% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | Rp 120,000$7.36 | Rp 150,000$9.2 | Labuan Bajo โ20% |
| Coffeeone cup | Rp 35,000$2.15 | Rp 35,000$2.15 | similar |
| Beerone bottle | Rp 50,000$3.07 | Rp 50,000$3.07 | similar |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | Rp 100,000$6.13 | Rp 100,000$6.13 | similar |
| Bottled water | Rp 5,000$0.31 | Rp 5,000$0.31 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | Rp 8,000$0.49 | Rp 6,000$0.37 | Lombok โ25% |
| Taxi5 km in town | Rp 30,000$1.84 | Rp 30,000$1.84 | similar |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | Rp 15,000$0.92 | Rp 20,000$1.23 | Labuan Bajo โ25% |
| Transitone ride | Rp 5,000$0.31 | Rp 5,000$0.31 | similar |
| Scooter rentalper day | Rp 100,000$6.13 | Rp 75,000$4.6 | Lombok โ25% |
| Hotel night3-star | Rp 700,000$42.9 | Rp 500,000$30.7 | Lombok โ29% |
| Studio rent (month) | Rp 3,000,000$184 | Rp 5,000,000$307 | Labuan Bajo โ40% |
| Laundry | Rp 20,000$1.23 | Rp 15,000$0.92 | Lombok โ25% |
| SIM card1 week data | Rp 50,000$3.07 | Rp 80,000$4.91 | Labuan Bajo โ38% |
| Haircutcut | Rp 40,000$2.45 | Rp 40,000$2.45 | similar |
| Massage1 hour | Rp 150,000$9.2 | Rp 120,000$7.36 | Lombok โ20% |
| Half-day tourper person | Rp 700,000$42.9 | Rp 300,000$18.4 | Lombok โ57% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | Rp 400,000$24.5 | Rp 30,000$1.84 | Lombok โ92% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Labuan Bajo or Lombok?
Labuan Bajo is 10% cheaper than Lombok. Daily budget $66.7 vs $55.7; a month $879 vs $1,218.
Which is easier to travel, Labuan Bajo or Lombok?
About the same: Labuan Bajo 3.2/5, Lombok 3.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Labuan Bajo and Lombok?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Labuan Bajo is about $879 and Lombok about $1,218 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.