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: $1,069 in Bangkok versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,749 in Bangkok versus $2,588 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,430 in Bangkok versus $3,778 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Bangkok costs roughly 24% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bangkok is 20% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 ฿105

$3.43 Rp 61.4K

-9.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.67 ฿1,035

$31.97 Rp 572.4K

-4.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.99 ฿202

$5.05 Rp 90.4K

18.61%

Cappuccino

$2.57 ฿86.8

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

-5.17%

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

$0.71 ฿24.11

$1.39 Rp 24.9K

-48.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.86

$0.74 Rp 13.3K

-60.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.52 ฿85.2

$2.89 Rp 51.8K

-12.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.90 ฿132

$3.79 Rp 67.9K

2.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ฿60.8

$1.79 Rp 32.1K

0.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ฿47.58

$2.51 Rp 44.9K

-43.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.43 ฿48.10

$1.21 Rp 21.7K

18.18%

Eggs

$2.22 ฿74.9

$2.37 Rp 42.4K

-6.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.18 ฿613

$14.43 Rp 258.4K

25.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ฿104

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

-25.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.56 ฿323

$12.11 Rp 216.9K

-21.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.46 ฿117

$3.77 Rp 67.5K

-8.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.71 ฿57.7

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

4.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.21 ฿74.6

$2.71 Rp 48.5K

-18.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.92 ฿64.8

$2.26 Rp 40.4K

-15.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ฿56.2

$1.93 Rp 34.5K

-13.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ฿47.96

$2.19 Rp 39.3K

-35.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.30 ฿43.98

$1.02 Rp 18.2K

27.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.69

$0.72 Rp 12.8K

-31.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ฿148

$3.18 Rp 57.0K

38.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.08 ฿610

$23.84 Rp 426.8K

-24.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.86 ฿62.9

$2.77 Rp 49.7K

-32.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 ฿110

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

18.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.24 ฿42.00

$0.27 Rp 4,786

359.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.00 ฿1,249

$8.20 Rp 146.8K

351.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿35.80

$0.48 Rp 8,653

120.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.19 ฿40.11

$0.42 Rp 7,545

183.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.04 ฿204

$6.03 Rp 107.9K

0.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 ฿40.62

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

46.34%

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

$36.7K ฿1.2M

$26.6K Rp 475.6M

38.27%

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

$28.5K ฿960.8K

$32.2K Rp 576.6M

-11.60%

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

$91.2 ฿3,077

$78.3 Rp 1.4M

16.50%

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

$12.60 ฿425

$3.91 Rp 70.1K

222.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.51 ฿591

$23.91 Rp 428.2K

-26.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.7 ฿1,779

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

-45.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.32 ฿348

$6.53 Rp 116.8K

58.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.85 ฿265

$4.01 Rp 71.9K

95.76%

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

$597 ฿20.1K

$303 Rp 5.4M

97.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K ฿443.5K

$6,551 Rp 117.3M

100.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.8 ฿1,985

$55.3 Rp 990.4K

6.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.02 ฿1,283

$38.32 Rp 686.1K

-0.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 ฿3,580

$88.5 Rp 1.6M

19.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.5 ฿3,122

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

20.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ฿22.9K

$986 Rp 17.6M

-31.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 ฿10.8K

$682 Rp 12.2M

-52.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,915 ฿64.6K

$3,420 Rp 61.2M

-44.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$853 ฿28.8K

$2,075 Rp 37.1M

-58.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,042 ฿203.9K

$2,762 Rp 49.5M

118.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,306 ฿111.6K

$2,243 Rp 40.2M

47.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$621 ฿21.0K

$169 Rp 3.0M

268.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.84

13.28

-56.02%

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

Last update for Bangkok: July 19, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $677 in Bangkok and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 268% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31.00 in Bangkok vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $262 vs $298 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,069 vs $1,397 including rent). Bangkok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 268% 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: $677 in Bangkok versus $986 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 $31.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,069 per month in Bangkok versus $1,397 in Ubud, Bali – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,069 in Bangkok versus $1,397 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 31% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.