Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Koh Chang

For one person, living is cheaper in Koh Chang: $965 a month against $1,224 in Bali, rent and utilities included – about $3,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,224
/mo nomad
Koh Chang
🇹🇭 Thailand
$965
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bali and in Koh Chang

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Bali and in Koh Chang actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,224 per month in Bali vs $965 in Koh Chang, rent included.

  • Bali $1,224
  • Koh Chang $965

A couple spends around $2,064 per month in Bali vs $1,583 in Koh Chang, rent included.

  • Bali $2,064
  • Koh Chang $1,583

A family of three spends $2,904 per month in Bali vs $2,200 in Koh Chang, rent included.

  • Bali $2,904
  • Koh Chang $2,200

Bali costs about 27% more than Koh Chang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Bali and Koh Chang are more affordable than the global median – Bali 9% lower, Koh Chang 28% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Bali
Koh Chang
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.74 Rp 49.0K
$3.63 ฿121
-24.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$29.64 Rp 529.8K
$26.36 ฿883
12.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.74 Rp 84.7K
$6.99 ฿234
-32.19%
Cappuccino
$2.22 Rp 39.7K
$2.26 ฿75.6
-1.77%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 Rp 24.5K
$0.77 ฿25.91
77.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.66 Rp 11.8K
$0.40 ฿13.29
65.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.21 Rp 39.4K
$2.04 ฿68.4
8.33%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.62 Rp 64.7K
$3.02 ฿101
19.87%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Bali
Koh Chang
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.44 Rp 25.8K
$1.49 ฿50.0
-3.36%
White Bread (500g)
$2.17 Rp 38.7K
$1.31 ฿44.00
65.65%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.12 Rp 20.0K
$1.41 ฿47.17
-20.57%
Eggs
$1.97 Rp 35.2K
$1.96 ฿65.8
0.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$16.41 Rp 293.2K
$17.61 ฿590
-6.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.63 Rp 65.0K
$3.00 ฿101
21.00%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.53 Rp 206.2K
$9.66 ฿323
19.36%
Apples (1kg)
$3.37 Rp 60.2K
$2.68 ฿89.8
25.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.46 Rp 26.0K
$1.51 ฿50.7
-3.31%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.15 Rp 38.4K
$2.07 ฿69.2
3.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.90 Rp 34.0K
$1.92 ฿64.4
-1.04%
Potato (1kg)
$1.80 Rp 32.2K
$1.36 ฿45.44
32.35%
Onion (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.0K
$1.19 ฿39.81
88.24%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.94 Rp 16.8K
$1.01 ฿33.88
-6.93%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48 Rp 8,577
$0.50 ฿16.64
-4.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.14 Rp 38.2K
$3.97 ฿133
-46.10%
Wine (Bottle)
$21.94 Rp 392.2K
$16.61 ฿556
32.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.26 Rp 40.4K
$1.64 ฿55.1
37.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.77 Rp 49.6K
$2.60 ฿86.9
6.54%
🚌 Getting Around
Bali
Koh Chang
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.26 Rp 4,661
$1.83 ฿61.2
-85.79%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.08 Rp 144.4K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,853
$2.43 ฿81.4
-81.89%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,491
$0.82 ฿27.40
-48.78%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.66 Rp 101.1K
$2.98 ฿99.7
89.93%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.90 Rp 16.0K
$1.19 ฿39.79
-24.37%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.2K Rp 433.4M
$21.1K ฿707.5K
14.73%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K Rp 563.1M
$21.5K ฿720.9K
46.31%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bali
Koh Chang
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.1 Rp 1.4M
$94.2 ฿3,152
-14.98%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.63 Rp 118.5K
$10.67 ฿357
-37.86%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.33 Rp 327.6K
$16.43 ฿550
11.56%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Bali
Koh Chang
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$45.56 Rp 814.4K
$44.74 ฿1,498
1.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.24 Rp 272.4K
$9.17 ฿307
66.19%
Cinema Ticket
$3.71 Rp 66.4K
$6.47 ฿217
-42.66%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Bali
Koh Chang
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$442 Rp 7.9M
$491 ฿16.4K
-9.95%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,246 Rp 93.8M
$10.5K ฿351.2K
-49.99%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Bali
Koh Chang
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.18 Rp 789.6K
$60.2 ฿2,016
-26.62%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.13 Rp 610.1K
$27.51 ฿921
24.06%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.2 Rp 1.4M
$90.4 ฿3,026
-14.57%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$75.0 Rp 1.3M
$82.4 ฿2,758
-8.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Bali
Koh Chang
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$994 Rp 17.8M
$473 ฿15.8K
110.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$588 Rp 10.5M
$303 ฿10.1K
94.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,084 Rp 55.1M
$1,334 ฿44.7K
131.20%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,496 Rp 26.7M
$794 ฿26.6K
88.40%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,383 Rp 42.6M
$2,276 ฿76.2K
4.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,015 Rp 36.0M
$1,651 ฿55.3K
22.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Bali
Koh Chang
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$223 Rp 4.0M
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
5.57
147.40%

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

Last update for Bali: October 4, 2026

Last update for Koh Chang: October 5, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Bali
$588
Koh Chang
$303 48.5% $285
Groceries & Markets
Bali
$274
Koh Chang
$242 11.8% $32
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Bali
$105
Koh Chang
$121 15.5% $16
Clothing & Footwear
Bali
$104
Koh Chang
$117 13% $14
Eating Out
Bali
$89
Koh Chang
$98 9.9% $8.9
Sport & Entertainment
Bali
$53
Koh Chang
$58 8.9% $4.7
Getting Around
Bali
$12
Koh Chang
$14 * 18.7% $2.2

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $994 in Bali versus $473 in Koh Chang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Bali versus $26.00 in Koh Chang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $242 – making Koh Chang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Bali
🇹🇭 Koh Chang
🕒 Local time
17:06 5:06 PM
16:06 4:06 PM
1 h behind Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
8,500
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 17,875 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.59 USD). 1 EUR = 20,048 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.99 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 33.48 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.55 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Bali Koh Chang 2,690 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Bali
  • Koh Chang

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Bali vs Koh Chang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Bali or Koh Chang?
Bali costs about 27% more than Koh Chang, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Bali and in Koh Chang?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,836 per month in Bali and $1,448 in Koh Chang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Bali or Koh Chang?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Koh Chang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Bali compared to Koh Chang?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,224 in Bali and $965 in Koh Chang. That's a gap of about 27%.
How do childcare costs compare in Bali and in Koh Chang?
Kindergarten costs $442 per month in Bali and $491 in Koh Chang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Bali or in Koh Chang?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Chang, where all-in costs run around $965, than in Bali at $1,224. In Koh Chang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Bali or Koh Chang?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Koh Chang costs $965 versus $1,224 in Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Bali compared to Koh Chang?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Bali or to Koh Chang?
If budget matters most, go with Koh Chang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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