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: $1,062 in Bangkok versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,731 in Bangkok versus $2,582 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,399 in Bangkok versus $3,757 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Bangkok costs roughly 25% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Bangkok is 21% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ฿100

$3.42 Rp 58.5K

-8.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.73 ฿986

$32.96 Rp 564.6K

-6.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.33 ฿203

$5.08 Rp 87.0K

24.61%

Cappuccino

$2.50 ฿80.2

$2.82 Rp 48.4K

-11.35%

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

$0.73 ฿23.56

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

-46.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.32

$0.71 Rp 12.1K

-59.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿80.5

$2.97 Rp 50.8K

-15.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.09 ฿131

$3.91 Rp 67.0K

4.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ฿59.2

$1.75 Rp 29.9K

5.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.34 ฿43.10

$2.52 Rp 43.1K

-46.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 ฿47.52

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

22.31%

Eggs

$2.19 ฿70.1

$2.33 Rp 40.0K

-6.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.59 ฿597

$14.50 Rp 248.3K

28.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.11 ฿100.0

$4.36 Rp 74.6K

-28.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ฿308

$12.05 Rp 206.3K

-20.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.45 ฿111

$3.82 Rp 65.4K

-9.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ฿55.1

$1.61 Rp 27.6K

6.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.24 ฿71.8

$2.70 Rp 46.3K

-17.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 ฿62.0

$2.23 Rp 38.2K

-13.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.66 ฿53.2

$1.90 Rp 32.5K

-12.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ฿47.17

$2.18 Rp 37.4K

-32.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.34 ฿43.03

$1.03 Rp 17.6K

30.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.14

$0.77 Rp 13.2K

-31.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.47 ฿143

$3.18 Rp 54.5K

40.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.87 ฿541

$23.23 Rp 397.8K

-27.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿57.0

$2.85 Rp 48.8K

-37.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.40 ฿109

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

25.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.26 ฿40.30

$0.29 Rp 5,005

334.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.65 ฿1,208

$8.43 Rp 144.3K

346.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿34.02

$0.49 Rp 8,316

116.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 ฿37.18

$0.45 Rp 7,785

157.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 ฿193

$6.28 Rp 107.5K

-4.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ฿37.98

$0.85 Rp 14.5K

38.82%

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

$36.9K ฿1.2M

$26.1K Rp 446.3M

41.58%

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

$28.4K ฿910.1K

$31.5K Rp 540.0M

-10.05%

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

$92.0 ฿2,952

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

15.33%

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

$12.93 ฿415

$4.09 Rp 70.0K

216.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.50 ฿562

$24.06 Rp 412.2K

-27.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.4 ฿1,715

$96.2 Rp 1.6M

-44.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.35 ฿332

$6.53 Rp 111.8K

58.50%

Cinema Ticket

$7.50 ฿241

$4.13 Rp 70.8K

81.60%

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

$613 ฿19.7K

$297 Rp 5.1M

106.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.1K ฿418.9K

$6,661 Rp 114.1M

95.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ฿1,856

$55.0 Rp 941.3K

5.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.26 ฿1,228

$38.75 Rp 663.7K

-1.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ฿3,373

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

17.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 ฿2,983

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

17.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$686 ฿22.0K

$1,018 Rp 17.4M

-32.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$317 ฿10.2K

$660 Rp 11.3M

-51.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,885 ฿60.5K

$3,435 Rp 58.8M

-45.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$846 ฿27.1K

$2,053 Rp 35.2M

-58.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,088 ฿195.4K

$2,981 Rp 51.1M

104.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,261 ฿104.7K

$2,368 Rp 40.6M

37.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$766 ฿24.6K

$172 Rp 2.9M

345.39%

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: April 19, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $686 in Bangkok and $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bangkok pays 345% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $31 in Bangkok vs $33 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $262 vs $299 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 33% in total monthly costs ($1,062 vs $1,408 including rent). Bangkok is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bangkok pays 345% more on average, 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: $686 in Bangkok versus $1,018 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,062 per month in Bangkok versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 33% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,062 in Bangkok versus $1,408 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 33% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.