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 $2,109 per month in Thames vs $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,160 per month in Thames vs $2,327 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,211 per month in Thames vs $3,275 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Thames costs about 53% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Thames and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Thames by 53%, Ubud, Bali by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.72 NZ$25.32

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

342.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 NZ$120

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

94.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.83 NZ$16.91

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

74.60%

Cappuccino

$3.60 NZ$6.18

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

27.66%

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

$2.08 NZ$3.57

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

18.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 NZ$3.10

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

125.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.32 NZ$12.59

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

140.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.04 NZ$12.11

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

63.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.30

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

19.25%

White Bread (500g)

$2.28 NZ$3.92

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

0.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.32

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

64.96%

Eggs

$6.67 NZ$11.47

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

207.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.96 NZ$15.40

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-49.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.98 NZ$17.16

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

146.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.27 NZ$29.69

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

41.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.93 NZ$5.04

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-19.06%

Banana (1kg)

$2.19 NZ$3.76

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

33.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.21 NZ$5.51

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

38.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.64 NZ$9.70

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

187.76%

Potato (1kg)

$2.35 NZ$4.04

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

27.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.05

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-24.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 NZ$3.65

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

101.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.18 NZ$2.03

$0.54 Rp 9,560

118.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.49 NZ$48.98

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

1138.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.45 NZ$17.97

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-54.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 NZ$5.11

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.62 NZ$6.22

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

17.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 NZ$2.98

$0.25 Rp 4,365

592.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.7 NZ$153

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

841.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.40 NZ$4.13

$0.49 Rp 8,631

389.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.01 NZ$3.46

$0.47 Rp 8,349

327.66%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.88 NZ$58.3

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

505.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.35

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

140.74%

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

$26.3K NZ$45.3K

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

5.34%

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

$23.4K NZ$40.3K

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

-24.57%

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

$196 NZ$337

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

137.05%

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

$28.44 NZ$48.90

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

338.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.7 NZ$92.3

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

185.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.61 NZ$69.8

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-26.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$14.37 NZ$24.70

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

234.19%

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

$1,165 NZ$2,002

$494 Rp 8.7M

135.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K NZ$35.7K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

250.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.2 NZ$140

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

75.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.09 NZ$75.8

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

20.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.3 NZ$155

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

11.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 NZ$200

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

47.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$974 NZ$1,675

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-12.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$871 NZ$1,498

$693 Rp 12.2M

25.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,676 NZ$2,882

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-53.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,525 NZ$2,621

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-10.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,962 NZ$8,531

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

79.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,535 NZ$6,078

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

54.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

13.78

-60.89%

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

Last update for Thames: September 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $974 in Thames versus $1,114 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 $70.0 in Thames versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $350 vs $294 – 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 53%, 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 $3,164 per month in Thames and $2,067 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 $1,165 per month in Thames and $494 in Ubud, Bali. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 19% 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 $1,378, than in Thames at $2,109. 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.