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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,138 in Bangkok versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,863 in Bangkok versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,589 in Bangkok versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Bangkok costs roughly 19% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bangkok is 17% below, Ubud, Bali is 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ฿99.8

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

-9.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.64 ฿1,204

$38.59 Rp 680.4K

-5.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.42 ฿244

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

34.42%

Cappuccino

$2.96 ฿97.5

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

12.12%

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

$0.67 ฿22.12

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

-59.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ฿11.17

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-55.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.66 ฿87.5

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.56 ฿150

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

6.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ฿65.6

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

29.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 ฿48.90

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

-32.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.53 ฿50.2

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

35.40%

Eggs

$2.66 ฿87.6

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.32 ฿569

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

-0.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.58 ฿118

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

-7.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.04 ฿461

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

11.87%

Apples (1kg)

$4.12 ฿135

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

13.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.92 ฿63.3

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

23.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.84 ฿93.2

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

20.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 ฿64.5

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

-4.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.71 ฿56.3

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 ฿53.7

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

-30.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.27 ฿41.70

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

23.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ฿18.47

$0.55 Rp 9,781

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.61 ฿151

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

104.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.28 ฿502

$23.81 Rp 419.8K

-35.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.4

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

-22.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.36 ฿111

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

20.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ฿36.49

$0.27 Rp 4,803

311.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$36.19 ฿1,190

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

317.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ฿35.64

$0.48 Rp 8,490

125.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿38.97

$0.45 Rp 7,865

164.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 ฿197

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

4.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 ฿46.87

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

88.16%

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

$32.0K ฿1.1M

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

30.90%

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

$27.9K ฿917.5K

$32.1K Rp 566.4M

-13.11%

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

$105 ฿3,453

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

25.72%

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

$14.49 ฿476

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

124.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.57 ฿610

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

-2.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 ฿1,957

$56.0 Rp 987.0K

6.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.07 ฿627

$18.62 Rp 328.3K

2.42%

Cinema Ticket

$7.61 ฿250

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

77.80%

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

$558 ฿18.3K

$487 Rp 8.6M

14.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ฿555.3K

$5,856 Rp 103.3M

188.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.7 ฿2,421

$45.56 Rp 803.3K

61.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.33 ฿1,424

$36.38 Rp 641.5K

19.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.3 ฿3,164

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

17.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 ฿3,869

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

46.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$704 ฿23.1K

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-36.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ฿11.7K

$701 Rp 12.4M

-49.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,024 ฿66.5K

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

-42.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$757 ฿24.9K

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

-57.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,987 ฿196.8K

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

111.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,211 ฿105.5K

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

40.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$638 ฿21.0K

$170 Rp 3.0M

275.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.38

13.78

-60.96%

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

Last update for Bangkok: August 29, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $704 in Bangkok and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 276% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $37.00 in Bangkok vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $283 vs $293 per month, with Bangkok 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

Bangkok vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bangkok and Ubud, Bali differ by about 23% in total monthly costs ($1,138 vs $1,396 including rent). Bangkok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 276% higher in Bangkok, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $704 in Bangkok versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bangkok – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,138 per month in Bangkok versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali – a 23% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,138 in Bangkok versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bangkok but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Bangkok the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Bangkok and Ubud, Bali 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 Bangkok gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.