Cost of Living Comparison Between Thames and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Thames and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,899 per month in Thames vs $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,977 per month in Thames vs $2,585 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,056 per month in Thames vs $3,732 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Thames costs about 32% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Thames and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Thames by 42%, Ubud, Bali by 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.18 NZ$25.80

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

325.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.2 NZ$131

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

137.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 NZ$16.60

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

92.50%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NZ$5.84

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

21.55%

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

$2.24 NZ$3.81

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

67.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NZ$3.87

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

228.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.30 NZ$12.41

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

144.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.32 NZ$12.45

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

90.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 NZ$3.08

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.02 NZ$3.43

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-20.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

63.87%

Eggs

$6.85 NZ$11.64

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

181.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.84 NZ$15.04

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-39.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.81 NZ$16.67

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

134.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.74 NZ$21.66

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

6.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 NZ$4.77

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

-24.12%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 NZ$3.92

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

42.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.35 NZ$5.69

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

24.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.19 NZ$7.12

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

79.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 NZ$3.49

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

7.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.65 NZ$2.81

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-24.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NZ$3.19

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

77.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 NZ$2.16

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

76.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.93 NZ$42.38

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

696.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.54 NZ$17.91

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-55.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 NZ$5.08

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

9.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 NZ$6.73

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.12 NZ$3.60

$0.29 Rp 5,010

631.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.2 NZ$109

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

685.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 NZ$3.49

$0.45 Rp 7,834

355.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.94 NZ$3.30

$0.42 Rp 7,278

361.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.95 NZ$59.4

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

467.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.90

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

103.57%

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

$28.4K NZ$48.3K

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

8.20%

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

$22.0K NZ$37.4K

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

-32.31%

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

$145 NZ$247

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

84.99%

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

$30.50 NZ$51.9

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

672.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$49.06 NZ$83.4

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

101.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.30 NZ$63.4

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-61.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.89 NZ$20.21

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

87.24%

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 NZ$25.66

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

273.76%

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

$919 NZ$1,563

$303 Rp 5.2M

203.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.7K NZ$23.3K

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

110.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.4 NZ$121

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

32.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.7 NZ$86.2

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

33.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.0 NZ$167

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

12.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$125 NZ$213

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

58.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$965 NZ$1,640

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-4.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$783 NZ$1,330

$674 Rp 11.6M

16.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,568 NZ$2,665

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-53.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 NZ$2,438

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-31.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,476 NZ$9,309

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

83.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,862 NZ$6,565

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

65.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

13.28

-52.03%

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

Last update for Thames: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $965 in Thames versus $1,012 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 $77.0 in Thames versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $326 vs $298 – making Ubud, Bali 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

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

Yes – Thames is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,848 per month in Thames and $2,158 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $919 per month in Thames and $303 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Thames, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,438, than in Thames at $1,899. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thames it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – 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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thames makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.