🙂A single person spends $933 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.
🙂A couple spends around $1,514 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $2,348 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.
🙂A family of three spends $2,096 per month in Maha Sarakham vs $3,327 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.
🙂Maha Sarakham is about 32% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊Maha Sarakham sits 32% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.00฿99.7
$3.44Rp 61.0K
-12.79%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.47฿747
$36.31Rp 644.5K
-38.12%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$7.68฿255
$5.71Rp 101.3K
34.50%
Cappuccino
$2.01฿66.8
$2.67Rp 47.4K
-24.72%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.70฿23.29
$1.75Rp 31.1K
-60.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.34฿11.32
$0.87Rp 15.5K
-60.92%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.18฿72.5
$2.95Rp 52.4K
-26.10%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$3.13฿104
$4.52Rp 80.2K
-30.75%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.81฿60.3
$1.62Rp 28.7K
11.73%
White Bread(500g)
$1.41฿46.90
$2.33Rp 41.4K
-39.48%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.40฿46.47
$1.11Rp 19.7K
26.13%
Eggs
$2.13฿70.7
$2.20Rp 39.1K
-3.18%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$15.99฿532
$17.69Rp 314.0K
-9.61%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$2.64฿87.8
$4.10Rp 72.7K
-35.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.38฿345
$12.18Rp 216.1K
-14.78%
Apples(1kg)
$3.13฿104
$3.71Rp 65.8K
-15.63%
Banana(1kg)
$1.11฿36.96
$1.59Rp 28.2K
-30.19%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.25฿74.8
$2.28Rp 40.5K
-1.32%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.91฿63.7
$1.95Rp 34.7K
-2.05%
Potato(1kg)
$1.46฿48.51
$1.91Rp 33.8K
-23.56%
Onion(1kg)
$1.09฿36.19
$2.33Rp 41.4K
-53.22%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.14฿37.86
$1.01Rp 17.9K
12.87%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53฿17.58
$0.55Rp 9,795
-3.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.33฿144
$2.23Rp 39.6K
94.17%
Wine(Bottle)
$17.05฿567
$23.07Rp 409.5K
-26.09%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.67฿55.5
$2.42Rp 42.9K
-30.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98฿98.9
$3.00Rp 53.2K
-0.67%
🚌 Getting Around
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.95฿31.44
$0.27Rp 4,825
251.85%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
-
$8.98Rp 159.4K
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.28฿42.70
$0.48Rp 8,586
166.67%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.15฿38.24
$0.43Rp 7,697
167.44%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.92฿130
$5.64Rp 100.1K
-30.50%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.38฿45.93
$0.80Rp 14.3K
72.50%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.1K฿902.1K
$24.9KRp 442.7M
8.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.7K฿920.5K
$31.7KRp 562.8M
-12.70%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$85.1฿2,829
$81.5Rp 1.4M
4.46%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$11.92฿396
$6.49Rp 115.2K
83.67%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.11฿635
$18.77Rp 333.1K
1.81%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$47.52฿1,580
$56.9Rp 1.0M
-16.44%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.40฿479
$18.73Rp 332.4K
-23.12%
Cinema Ticket
$6.74฿224
$4.54Rp 80.5K
48.46%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$580฿19.3K
$481Rp 8.5M
20.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$11.3K฿374.6K
$5,711Rp 101.4M
97.27%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.6฿1,715
$45.52Rp 807.9K
13.31%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$29.70฿988
$35.88Rp 636.9K
-17.22%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$78.0฿2,592
$80.4Rp 1.4M
-3.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.1฿2,530
$78.7Rp 1.4M
-3.29%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$449฿14.9K
$1,115Rp 19.8M
-59.68%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$302฿10.0K
$698Rp 12.4M
-56.70%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,433฿47.6K
$3,637Rp 64.5M
-60.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$753฿25.0K
$1,737Rp 30.8M
-56.68%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,989฿66.1K
$2,784Rp 49.4M
-28.58%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,607฿53.4K
$2,290Rp 40.6M
-29.84%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Maha Sarakham
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
-
$168Rp 3.0M
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
5.57
13.78
-59.58%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Maha Sarakham: September 13, 2026
Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $449 in Maha Sarakham versus $1,115 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 $22.00 in Maha Sarakham versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $245 vs $295 – 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 in Ubud, Bali compare overall?
Monthly costs with rent: $933 in Maha Sarakham, $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 47% 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 $1,399 per month in Maha Sarakham and $2,052 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 $22.00 in Maha Sarakham and $36.00 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 20% 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 $933, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. 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 $933 in Maha Sarakham to $1,368 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