🙂A single person spends $931 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,475 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $2,549 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,020 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $3,694 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.
🙂Maha Sarakham is about 34% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Maha Sarakham sits 31% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.99฿97.4
$3.57Rp 64.0K
-16.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.09฿882
$32.50Rp 582.3K
-16.65%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$6.21฿202
$4.86Rp 87.1K
27.78%
Cappuccino
$2.10฿68.4
$2.75Rp 49.2K
-23.64%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71฿23.25
$1.32Rp 23.7K
-46.21%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29฿9.57
$0.70Rp 12.6K
-58.57%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.44฿79.4
$2.91Rp 52.2K
-16.15%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.73฿121
$3.79Rp 68.0K
-1.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.70฿55.3
$1.71Rp 30.6K
-0.58%
White Bread(500g)
$1.35฿43.91
$2.47Rp 44.3K
-45.34%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.32฿42.87
$1.20Rp 21.5K
10.00%
Eggs
$2.16฿70.2
$2.44Rp 43.8K
-11.48%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$18.21฿593
$14.38Rp 257.7K
26.63%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.10฿101
$4.31Rp 77.1K
-28.07%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.71฿349
$12.21Rp 218.7K
-12.29%
Apples(1kg)
$3.23฿105
$3.68Rp 66.0K
-12.23%
Banana(1kg)
$1.25฿40.80
$1.55Rp 27.8K
-19.35%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.89฿61.5
$2.79Rp 49.9K
-32.26%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.59฿51.7
$2.33Rp 41.8K
-31.76%
Potato(1kg)
$1.52฿49.63
$1.97Rp 35.3K
-22.84%
Onion(1kg)
$1.25฿40.69
$2.31Rp 41.4K
-45.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.98฿32.00
$1.06Rp 19.1K
-7.55%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.48฿15.77
$0.73Rp 13.1K
-34.25%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.43฿144
$3.28Rp 58.8K
35.06%
Wine(Bottle)
$13.18฿429
$22.79Rp 408.4K
-42.17%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.75฿57.0
$2.81Rp 50.3K
-37.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.75฿89.5
$2.78Rp 49.9K
-1.08%
🚌 Getting Around
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.96฿31.21
$0.29Rp 5,217
231.03%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$8.06Rp 144.4K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.05฿34.16
$0.45Rp 8,047
133.33%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.19฿38.81
$0.45Rp 8,094
164.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.32฿206
$6.24Rp 111.7K
1.28%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.30฿42.18
$0.85Rp 15.2K
52.94%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$28.2K฿918.7K
$26.0KRp 465.4M
8.58%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.1K฿882.5K
$31.7KRp 567.2M
-14.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$76.1฿2,478
$80.8Rp 1.4M
-5.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$13.83฿450
$4.06Rp 72.7K
240.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.73฿610
$24.42Rp 437.6K
-23.30%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$49.23฿1,603
$97.7Rp 1.7M
-49.60%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$12.22฿398
$6.45Rp 115.5K
89.46%
Cinema Ticket
$6.88฿224
$4.04Rp 72.4K
70.30%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$300฿9,757
$304Rp 5.4M
-1.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$9,693฿315.7K
$6,621Rp 118.6M
46.39%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$33.24฿1,083
$54.2Rp 971.7K
-38.71%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.18฿1,113
$38.78Rp 694.7K
-11.86%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$98.9฿3,220
$86.1Rp 1.5M
14.77%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$70.4฿2,293
$76.7Rp 1.4M
-8.16%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$416฿13.6K
$986Rp 17.7M
-57.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$280฿9,131
$658Rp 11.8M
-57.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$805฿26.2K
$3,369Rp 60.4M
-76.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$666฿21.7K
$2,066Rp 37.0M
-67.77%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,763฿57.4K
$2,741Rp 49.1M
-35.71%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,266฿41.2K
$2,228Rp 39.9M
-43.18%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$163Rp 2.9M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.45
13.28
-58.96%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Maha Sarakham: June 7, 2026
Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $416 in Maha Sarakham versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.
🛒A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Maha Sarakham versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 vs $297 – making Maha Sarakham the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
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
Maha Sarakham vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
How do living costs in Maha Sarakham and Ubud, Bali compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $931 in Maha Sarakham, $1,404 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 51% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.
What salary covers living expenses in Maha Sarakham compared to Ubud, Bali?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,397 per month in Maha Sarakham and $2,106 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
How do rents compare between Maha Sarakham and Ubud, Bali?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Maha Sarakham, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
Which city has cheaper restaurants?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Maha Sarakham and $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Groceries cost about 22% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Which city is more doable on $2,000 per month?
A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maha Sarakham, where all-in costs run around $931, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. In Maha Sarakham it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
How does quality of life compare between Maha Sarakham and Ubud, Bali?
It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $931 in Maha Sarakham to $1,404 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.
Is Maha Sarakham or Ubud, Bali safer for residents?
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.
How do I decide between Maha Sarakham and Ubud, Bali?
If budget matters most, go with Maha Sarakham. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.
Maha Sarakham vs other spots: cost of living compared