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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $410 in Thanjavur versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $636 in Thanjavur versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $862 in Thanjavur versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Thanjavur costs roughly 71% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Thanjavur is 69% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Thanjavur
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.08 ₹200
$3.45 Rp 61.8K
-39.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$7.16 ₹689
$32.34 Rp 578.5K
-77.86%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.02 ₹387
$4.84 Rp 86.7K
-16.94%
Cappuccino
$2.19 ₹211
$2.75 Rp 49.1K
-20.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.43 ₹41.01
$1.38 Rp 24.8K
-68.84%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.18 ₹17.20
$0.75 Rp 13.4K
-76.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.82 ₹79.0
$2.99 Rp 53.5K
-72.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.17 ₹401
$3.85 Rp 68.9K
8.31%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Thanjavur
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$0.63 ₹60.6
$1.74 Rp 31.1K
-63.79%
White Bread (500g)
$0.52 ₹50.5
$2.46 Rp 44.0K
-78.86%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.68 ₹65.7
$1.17 Rp 20.9K
-41.88%
Eggs
$0.69 ₹66.3
$2.43 Rp 43.5K
-71.60%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.03 ₹676
$14.50 Rp 259.5K
-51.52%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.31 ₹222
$4.35 Rp 77.8K
-46.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
-
$11.98 Rp 214.3K
-
Apples (1kg)
$2.92 ₹281
$3.72 Rp 66.5K
-21.51%
Banana (1kg)
$0.87 ₹83.7
$1.63 Rp 29.1K
-46.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.25 ₹121
$2.74 Rp 49.1K
-54.38%
Tomato (1kg)
$0.47 ₹45.12
$2.24 Rp 40.1K
-79.02%
Potato (1kg)
$0.55 ₹52.8
$1.92 Rp 34.3K
-71.35%
Onion (1kg)
$0.52 ₹49.89
$2.28 Rp 40.7K
-77.19%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.60 ₹58.1
$1.06 Rp 19.0K
-43.40%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.35 ₹33.96
$0.72 Rp 12.9K
-51.39%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.80 ₹366
$3.29 Rp 58.8K
15.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$7.26 ₹699
$23.19 Rp 414.9K
-68.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.43 ₹138
$2.78 Rp 49.7K
-48.56%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.44 ₹331
$2.73 Rp 48.9K
26.01%
Buffalo Round (or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat) (1kg)
$6.15 ₹592
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
Thanjavur
Ubud, Bali
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.30 ₹29.06
$0.27 Rp 4,765
11.11%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.87 ₹854
$8.11 Rp 145.0K
9.37%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.18 ₹114
$0.48 Rp 8,636
145.83%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.42 Rp 7,511
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$1.78 ₹172
$6.22 Rp 111.3K
-71.38%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.22 ₹117
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
50.62%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.3K ₹1.7M
$26.6K Rp 476.1M
-35.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$24.5K ₹2.4M
$32.2K Rp 575.9M
-23.84%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Thanjavur
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$45.62 ₹4,392
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
-41.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.75 ₹457
$4.07 Rp 72.8K
16.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$9.75 ₹939
$24.33 Rp 435.2K
-59.93%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Thanjavur
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$15.99 ₹1,539
$98.6 Rp 1.8M
-83.78%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.92 ₹666
$6.34 Rp 113.3K
9.15%
Cinema Ticket
$2.97 ₹286
$3.99 Rp 71.3K
-25.56%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Thanjavur
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$80.3 ₹7,728
$305 Rp 5.5M
-73.68%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,749 ₹168.4K
$6,642 Rp 118.8M
-73.66%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Thanjavur
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$25.49 ₹2,454
$54.1 Rp 968.6K
-52.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.94 ₹2,209
$37.81 Rp 676.3K
-39.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$49.98 ₹4,812
$86.8 Rp 1.6M
-42.45%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$28.57 ₹2,751
$76.4 Rp 1.4M
-62.58%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Thanjavur
Ubud, Bali
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$126 ₹12.2K
$992 Rp 17.7M
-87.26%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$75.5 ₹7,269
$673 Rp 12.0M
-88.78%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$275 ₹26.4K
$3,375 Rp 60.4M
-91.86%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$181 ₹17.5K
$2,050 Rp 36.7M
-91.16%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$878 ₹84.5K
$2,805 Rp 50.2M
-68.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$563 ₹54.2K
$2,227 Rp 39.8M
-74.70%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Thanjavur
Ubud, Bali
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$207 ₹19.9K
$167 Rp 3.0M
23.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
9.31
13.28
-29.89%

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

Last update for Thanjavur: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $126 in Thanjavur and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thanjavur pays 24% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $7.00 in Thanjavur vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $115 vs $297 per month, with Thanjavur cheaper across the board.

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
Thanjavur vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Thanjavur or Ubud, Bali?
Thanjavur wins on cost – living expenses run 244% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Thanjavur the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Thanjavur or in Ubud, Bali?
Average pay runs 24% higher in Thanjavur, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Thanjavur compared to Ubud, Bali?
Rent for a central apartment: $126 in Thanjavur versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How expensive is transport in Thanjavur compared to Ubud, Bali?
A monthly transit pass in Thanjavur runs roughly 9% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.
How do childcare costs compare in Thanjavur and in Ubud, Bali?
Childcare runs $80.3 in Thanjavur versus $305 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Thanjavur or in Ubud, Bali?
At $410 in Thanjavur versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Thanjavur but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Thanjavur the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Thanjavur or Ubud, Bali?
Both work as nomad bases, but Thanjavur delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $410 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Thanjavur hard to pass up.
How safe is Thanjavur compared to Ubud, Bali?
Safety-wise, Thanjavur and Ubud, Bali are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Thanjavur gentler on the wallet – expenses run 244% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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