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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $472 in Thika versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $791 in Thika versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,110 in Thika versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Thika costs roughly 66% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Thika is 65% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.46 KES 705

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

52.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.67 KES 4,998

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

19.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.85 KES 885

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

36.73%

Cappuccino

$2.41 KES 311

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

-14.54%

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

$0.75 KES 96.6

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

-44.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 65.0

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

-31.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.65 KES 213

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

-43.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 KES 257

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

-49.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 KES 113

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

-51.12%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 56.9

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

-82.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.37 KES 177

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

19.13%

Eggs

$1.35 KES 174

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

-43.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.55 KES 1,493

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

-19.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 KES 885

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

63.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.88 KES 243

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

-84.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 KES 391

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

-17.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

-33.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.11 KES 273

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-24.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.00 KES 129

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-55.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.07 KES 138

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

-45.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

-51.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 KES 83.9

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

-38.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 KES 98.1

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

-3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.37 KES 306

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

-25.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.67 KES 733

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

-75.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 KES 218

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

-41.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

-28.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 KES 203

$0.45 Rp 8,167

248.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.53 KES 197

$0.46 Rp 8,298

232.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 KES 384

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

-51.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 KES 136

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

22.09%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

-17.30%

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

$19.9K KES 2.6M

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

-38.96%

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

$33.97 KES 4,391

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

-57.01%

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

$16.57 KES 2,142

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

305.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.97 KES 5,166

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

67.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.13 KES 793

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

52.87%

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

$203 KES 26.3K

$297 Rp 5.4M

-31.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,150 KES 1.1M

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

23.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.27 KES 2,362

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

-65.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.31 KES 3,142

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

-36.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.4 KES 8,585

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-25.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$55.6 KES 7,190

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-27.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$613 KES 79.3K

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

-77.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.5

13.28

-13.40%

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

Last update for Thika: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39.00 in Thika vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $174 vs $298, with Thika cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Thika is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 195% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $707 in Thika and $2,088 in Ubud, Bali to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Childcare runs $203 in Thika versus $297 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Thika – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $472 in Thika versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Thika but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Thika the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Thika is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Thika 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.

Expats usually find Thika gentler on the wallet – expenses run 195% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.