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 $1,150 per month in Durban vs $793 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,789 per month in Durban vs $1,425 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,428 per month in Durban vs $2,058 in Ubon Ratchathani, rent included.

Durban costs about 45% more than Ubon Ratchathani, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Durban and Ubon Ratchathani are more affordable than the global median – Durban 16% lower, Ubon Ratchathani 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.10 R 129

$4.80 ฿158

68.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$40.00 R 638

$21.28 ฿699

87.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 R 92.6

$7.33 ฿241

-20.87%

Cappuccino

$2.78 R 44.41

$1.84 ฿60.6

51.09%

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

$1.14 R 18.24

$1.33 ฿43.72

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.93 R 14.86

$0.54 ฿17.72

72.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 R 38.65

$2.36 ฿77.7

2.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 R 44.25

$3.67 ฿121

-24.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 R 20.01

$1.79 ฿58.9

-30.17%

White Bread (500g)

$0.99 R 15.81

$1.45 ฿47.57

-31.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 R 26.18

$1.28 ฿42.14

28.12%

Eggs

$2.44 R 38.98

$2.13 ฿70.1

14.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.65 R 138

$15.96 ฿525

-45.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 R 90.0

$2.43 ฿79.8

132.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.30 R 116

$9.92 ฿326

-26.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 R 30.04

$3.29 ฿108

-42.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 R 30.46

$1.07 ฿35.08

78.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.93 R 30.74

$2.26 ฿74.4

-14.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.67 R 26.70

$1.62 ฿53.3

3.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.55 R 24.75

$1.62 ฿53.4

-4.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 R 24.39

$1.21 ฿39.87

26.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.22 R 19.52

$1.09 ฿35.87

11.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 R 19.89

$0.49 ฿16.14

155.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.72 R 59.3

$4.31 ฿142

-13.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.83 R 77.0

$13.79 ฿453

-64.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.51 R 24.11

$1.76 ฿58.0

-14.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 R 31.46

$2.95 ฿96.9

-33.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.93 R 30.75

$0.86 ฿28.31

124.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.24 R 355

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 R 7.19

$1.18 ฿38.63

-61.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.77 R 12.24

$1.02 ฿33.52

-24.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.72 R 123

$4.28 ฿141

80.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 R 23.39

$1.24 ฿40.80

18.55%

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

$36.5K R 582.0K

$24.3K ฿799.8K

49.95%

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

$33.0K R 526.0K

$31.5K ฿1.0M

4.58%

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

$148 R 2,363

$83.1 ฿2,730

78.38%

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

$35.25 R 562

$12.84 ฿422

174.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.89 R 620

$14.61 ฿480

166.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.54 R 503

$48.03 ฿1,579

-34.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.41 R 150

$14.38 ฿473

-34.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.68 R 107

$6.58 ฿216

1.52%

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

$331 R 5,281

$588 ฿19.3K

-43.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,462 R 119.0K

$11.9K ฿390.7K

-37.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 R 852

$46.84 ฿1,540

14.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.55 R 487

$28.22 ฿927

8.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 R 1,611

$69.2 ฿2,276

45.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.7 R 1,415

$74.4 ฿2,447

19.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$490 R 7,809

$237 ฿7,790

106.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$400 R 6,379

$145 ฿4,751

176.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$862 R 13.8K

$1,332 ฿43.8K

-35.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$790 R 12.6K

$764 ฿25.1K

3.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$934 R 14.9K

$1,740 ฿57.2K

-46.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$590 R 9,411

$1,430 ฿47.0K

-58.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,250 R 19.9K

$367 ฿12.1K

240.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.66

5.57

109.34%

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

Last update for Durban: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ubon Ratchathani: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $490 in Durban versus $237 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 240% 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 $40.00 in Durban versus $21.00 in Ubon Ratchathani. Groceries tell a different story – $201 in Durban vs $236 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 45%, and the gap shows up most in Monthly Utilities & Internet. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,726 per month in Durban and $1,189 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 $40.00 in Durban and $21.00 in Ubon Ratchathani. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 18% cheaper in Durban – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ubon Ratchathani, where all-in costs run around $793, than in Durban at $1,150. In Ubon Ratchathani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Durban it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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.