Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat Thani and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat Thani and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $806 per month in Surat Thani vs $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,435 per month in Surat Thani vs $2,334 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,063 per month in Surat Thani vs $3,273 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Surat Thani is about 42% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Surat Thani sits 41% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 2% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.94 ฿63.9

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

-42.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.12 ฿596

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

-53.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.48 ฿147

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

-18.84%

Cappuccino

$1.52 ฿49.93

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

-42.42%

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

$0.48 ฿15.69

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

-71.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ฿9.85

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

-61.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.51 ฿82.6

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

-4.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 ฿123

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

-12.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ฿60.6

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

18.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.22 ฿39.99

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

-45.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.67

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

7.08%

Eggs

$1.95 ฿64.0

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

-6.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.59 ฿644

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

12.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 ฿116

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

-8.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.72 ฿254

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

-38.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 ฿96.4

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

-19.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 ฿54.2

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

5.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ฿58.8

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

-23.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.20 ฿72.3

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

6.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.34 ฿44.19

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

-29.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ฿46.45

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

-39.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.15 ฿37.75

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

11.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ฿13.49

$0.55 Rp 9,809

-25.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 ฿99.8

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

35.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.08 ฿628

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

-19.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.57 ฿51.5

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

-32.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ฿58.9

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

-36.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 ฿35.58

$0.27 Rp 4,816

300.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.27 ฿699

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

145.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.19 ฿39.24

$0.48 Rp 8,515

147.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ฿20.82

$0.45 Rp 7,887

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.62 ฿119

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

-36.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ฿41.17

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

64.47%

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

$27.0K ฿888.9K

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

10.42%

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

$27.7K ฿909.4K

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

-13.90%

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

$76.1 ฿2,502

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

-8.93%

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

$11.50 ฿378

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

78.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.44 ฿573

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

-8.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.94 ฿1,609

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

-12.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.57 ฿479

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

-21.75%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 ฿150

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

6.31%

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

$574 ฿18.9K

$487 Rp 8.6M

17.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.7K ฿385.0K

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

99.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$65.0 ฿2,138

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

42.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.70 ฿976

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

-18.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.6 ฿3,208

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

19.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.8 ฿2,920

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

10.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 ฿7,926

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

-78.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$152 ฿5,002

$701 Rp 12.4M

-78.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 ฿40.8K

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

-64.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$715 ฿23.5K

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

-59.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,026 ฿66.6K

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

-28.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,621 ฿53.3K

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

-29.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 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 Surat Thani: August 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Surat Thani versus $1,117 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 $18.00 in Surat Thani versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $251 vs $293 – making Surat Thani 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

Surat Thani vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $806 in Surat Thani, $1,396 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 73% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,209 per month in Surat Thani and $2,095 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $574 per month in Surat Thani and $487 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surat Thani, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. In Surat Thani it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $806 in Surat Thani to $1,396 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Surat Thani. 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.