Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Ubon Ratchathani Cost of Living Comparison Between Durban and Ubon Ratchathani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,058 per month in Durban vs $781 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,552 per month in Durban vs $1,408 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,046 per month in Durban vs $2,034 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

Durban costs about 35% more than Ubon Ratchathani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Durban and Ubon Ratchathani are more affordable than the global median – Durban 21% lower, Ubon Ratchathani 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.60 R 126

$2.99 ฿98.0

154.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.12 R 465

$24.81 ฿814

13.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 R 82.3

$6.35 ฿208

-21.73%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R 32.58

$1.95 ฿63.9

1.03%

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

$0.87 R 14.39

$1.10 ฿35.99

-20.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 R 11.14

$0.53 ฿17.32

26.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.93 R 31.88

$2.39 ฿78.4

-19.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 R 36.69

$2.86 ฿93.8

-22.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.00 R 16.48

$1.67 ฿54.9

-40.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.91 R 15.07

$1.40 ฿45.93

-35.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.48 R 24.58

$1.26 ฿41.22

17.46%

Eggs

$2.11 R 34.89

$2.24 ฿73.4

-5.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.28 R 121

$18.18 ฿596

-59.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.59 R 76.1

$3.12 ฿102

47.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.33 R 105

$10.98 ฿360

-42.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 R 26.01

$3.21 ฿105

-51.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.49

$1.22 ฿40.00

11.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.85

$1.96 ฿64.3

-29.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 R 22.55

$1.60 ฿52.5

-15.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.27 R 21.04

$1.49 ฿48.80

-14.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.18 R 19.54

$1.21 ฿39.58

-2.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 R 16.12

$0.99 ฿32.41

-2.02%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.96 R 15.87

$0.48 ฿15.89

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 R 51.9

$4.30 ฿141

-27.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.02 R 83.1

$14.02 ฿460

-64.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 R 24.18

$1.76 ฿57.6

-17.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 R 28.92

$2.76 ฿90.5

-36.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.50 R 24.78

$0.96 ฿31.48

56.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 R 627

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 R 28.28

$1.06 ฿34.66

61.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.61 R 10.14

$1.16 ฿37.88

-47.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.78 R 112

$6.00 ฿197

13.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 R 21.12

$1.24 ฿40.62

3.23%

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

$20.3K R 336.1K

$27.6K ฿904.0K

-26.35%

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

$24.2K R 401.2K

$27.3K ฿896.8K

-11.38%

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

$147 R 2,432

$75.1 ฿2,464

95.54%

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

$29.29 R 485

$12.89 ฿423

127.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$33.72 R 558

$15.15 ฿497

122.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.46 R 570

$48.88 ฿1,603

-29.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.14 R 151

$12.13 ฿398

-24.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.56 R 109

$7.24 ฿238

-9.39%

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

$210 R 3,468

$302 ฿9,915

-30.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,585 R 75.9K

$9,663 ฿316.9K

-52.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.78 R 708

$34.14 ฿1,119

25.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.50 R 488

$34.44 ฿1,129

-14.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 R 1,544

$98.9 ฿3,243

-5.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 R 1,209

$69.9 ฿2,290

4.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$373 R 6,176

$248 ฿8,143

50.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$368 R 6,085

$163 ฿5,341

125.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$754 R 12.5K

$825 ฿27.1K

-8.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 R 9,831

$666 ฿21.8K

-10.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$910 R 15.1K

$1,725 ฿56.6K

-47.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$581 R 9,617

$1,338 ฿43.9K

-56.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,395 R 23.1K

$371 ฿12.2K

276.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

12.01

5.45

120.37%

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

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ubon Ratchathani: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $373 in Durban versus $248 in Ubon Ratchathani. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 276% higher in Durban, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Durban versus $25.00 in Ubon Ratchathani. Groceries tell a different story – $168 in Durban vs $246 in Ubon Ratchathani – so Durban wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Durban vs Ubon Ratchathani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 35%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,587 per month in Durban and $1,172 in Ubon Ratchathani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubon Ratchathani, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Durban and $25.00 in Ubon Ratchathani. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 46% cheaper in Durban – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $1,058 in Durban and $781 in Ubon Ratchathani, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ubon Ratchathani – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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.

If budget matters most, go with Ubon Ratchathani. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Durban makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.