Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Surat Thani and Ubud, Bali

For one person, living is cheaper in Surat Thani: $775 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Surat Thani
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Surat Thani Living Index
66

Cost of Living Index in Ubud, Bali
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Ubud, Bali Living Index

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Surat Thani

🇹🇭 Thailand

$775

/mo nomad

Ubud, Bali

🇮🇩 Indonesia

$1,353

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Surat Thani and in Ubud, Bali

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Surat Thani and in Ubud, Bali actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $775 per month in Surat Thani vs $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Surat Thani $775
Ubud, Bali $1,353

A couple spends around $1,414 per month in Surat Thani vs $2,297 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Surat Thani $1,414
Ubud, Bali $2,297

A family of three spends $2,053 per month in Surat Thani vs $3,241 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Surat Thani $2,053
Ubud, Bali $3,241

Surat Thani is about 43% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Surat Thani sits 43% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 0% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.89 ฿63.0

$3.23 Rp 58.1K

-41.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.87 ฿597

$34.88 Rp 627.8K

-48.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.51 ฿151

$5.70 Rp 102.5K

-20.88%

Cappuccino

$1.50 ฿50.2

$2.62 Rp 47.1K

-42.75%

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

$0.50 ฿16.68

$1.72 Rp 31.0K

-70.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ฿9.66

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

-64.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.56 ฿85.4

$2.65 Rp 47.7K

-3.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.69 ฿123

$4.37 Rp 78.6K

-15.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ฿55.4

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

5.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.19 ฿39.89

$2.19 Rp 39.5K

-45.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 ฿39.13

$1.18 Rp 21.2K

-0.85%

Eggs

$1.87 ฿62.4

$2.16 Rp 38.8K

-13.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 ฿641

$17.65 Rp 317.7K

8.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 ฿111

$3.78 Rp 68.0K

-11.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.44 ฿249

$11.95 Rp 215.1K

-37.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.91 ฿97.2

$3.60 Rp 64.8K

-19.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ฿56.3

$1.59 Rp 28.6K

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 ฿58.7

$2.31 Rp 41.6K

-23.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.05 ฿68.4

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

7.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 ฿43.57

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-26.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.37 ฿45.90

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

-41.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.11 ฿37.24

$1.00 Rp 18.0K

11.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ฿13.66

$0.53 Rp 9,509

-22.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.07 ฿103

$2.29 Rp 41.1K

34.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.86 ฿630

$22.07 Rp 397.3K

-14.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.54 ฿51.6

$2.35 Rp 42.2K

-34.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ฿60.7

$2.98 Rp 53.6K

-38.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.02 ฿34.00

$0.23 Rp 4,112

343.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.95 ฿700

$8.90 Rp 160.2K

135.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.18 ฿39.50

$0.47 Rp 8,466

151.06%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 ฿21.05

$0.43 Rp 7,737

46.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 ฿117

$5.47 Rp 98.4K

-36.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ฿38.93

$0.83 Rp 14.9K

39.76%

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

$26.6K ฿890.1K

$23.9K Rp 429.8M

11.55%

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

$27.3K ฿911.7K

$32.8K Rp 590.1M

-16.79%

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

$72.9 ฿2,437

$80.0 Rp 1.4M

-8.84%

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

$11.12 ฿372

$6.56 Rp 118.1K

69.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.32 ฿579

$18.60 Rp 334.8K

-6.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.24 ฿1,612

$54.1 Rp 974.1K

-10.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.52 ฿385

$18.28 Rp 329.0K

-36.98%

Cinema Ticket

$4.53 ฿151

$4.25 Rp 76.5K

6.59%

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

$549 ฿18.3K

$493 Rp 8.9M

11.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.6K ฿386.5K

$5,597 Rp 100.7M

106.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 ฿2,070

$45.58 Rp 820.4K

35.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.16 ฿974

$34.96 Rp 629.4K

-16.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.3 ฿3,252

$77.7 Rp 1.4M

25.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.5 ฿2,892

$78.5 Rp 1.4M

10.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$237 ฿7,910

$1,131 Rp 20.4M

-79.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$149 ฿4,985

$673 Rp 12.1M

-77.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,150 ฿38.4K

$3,613 Rp 65.0M

-68.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$709 ฿23.7K

$1,702 Rp 30.6M

-58.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,226 ฿74.4K

$2,717 Rp 48.9M

-18.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,404 ฿46.9K

$2,241 Rp 40.3M

-37.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Surat Thani

$244 31.5%

Ubud, Bali

$287 21.2% 17.6% $43

Accommodation & Living

Surat Thani

$149 19.3%

Ubud, Bali

$673 49.7% 351% $524

Clothing & Footwear

Surat Thani

$124 16%

Ubud, Bali

$107 7.9% 13.9% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Surat Thani

$101 13.1%

Ubud, Bali

$105 7.8% 3.7% $3.8

Eating Out

Surat Thani

$70 9%

Ubud, Bali

$106 7.9% 52.2% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Surat Thani

$57 7.4%

Ubud, Bali

$63 4.6% 9.3% $5.3

Getting Around

Surat Thani

$29 3.8%

Ubud, Bali

$12 0.9% 57.6% $17

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $237 in Surat Thani versus $1,131 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 $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $244 vs $287 – making Surat Thani the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇹🇭 Surat Thani

🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali

🕒 Local time

18:40 6:40 PM

19:40 7:40 PM

1 h ahead of Surat Thani

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

132,040

74,800

💱 Currency

Thai Baht THB ฿

Indonesian Rupiah IDR Rp

📈 Exchange rate

100 THB = 2.99 USD

100 THB = 2.66 EUR

100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD

100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

IDR, USD, EUR to THB – Thai Baht Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇹🇭 Thai Baht (฿)

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.57 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

USD to THB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Surat Thani Ubud, Bali 2,640 km ≈ 3 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Surat Thani
Ubud, Bali

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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: $775 in Surat Thani, $1,353 in Ubud, Bali – roughly 75% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,163 per month in Surat Thani and $2,030 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 $549 per month in Surat Thani and $493 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $775, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,353. 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 $775 in Surat Thani to $1,353 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.