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: $523 in Thika versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $879 in Thika versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,235 in Thika versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Thika costs roughly 62% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Thika is 62% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.54 KES 458

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

2.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.10 KES 4,412

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

-6.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.19 KES 801

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

8.41%

Cappuccino

$1.96 KES 253

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

-26.59%

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

$0.32 KES 42.02

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

-81.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.59 KES 76.9

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

-32.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.96 KES 253

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

-33.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.18 KES 282

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

-51.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.73 KES 94.6

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

-54.94%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 61.7

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

-79.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 KES 151

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

5.41%

Eggs

$1.36 KES 176

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

-38.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.54 KES 1,363

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

-40.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.27 KES 811

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

52.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.00 KES 517

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

-67.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.52 KES 197

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

-59.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.64 KES 83.5

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

-59.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.79 KES 102

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

-65.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 KES 148

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

-41.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.38 KES 49.09

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

-80.10%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 KES 57.1

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

-81.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 KES 88.1

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

-32.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.38 KES 49.12

$0.55 Rp 9,795

-30.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 KES 352

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

21.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.83 KES 755

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

-74.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 KES 236

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

-24.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.88 KES 243

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

-37.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 KES 205

$0.48 Rp 8,586

229.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 KES 123

$0.43 Rp 7,697

120.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 KES 379

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

-48.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.38 KES 179

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

72.50%

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

$22.0K KES 2.8M

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

-11.96%

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

$20.3K KES 2.6M

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

-35.94%

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

$34.61 KES 4,478

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-57.51%

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

$15.66 KES 2,026

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

141.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.40 KES 4,581

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

88.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.60 KES 6,029

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-18.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

Cinema Ticket

$7.63 KES 987

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

68.06%

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

$54.2 KES 7,019

$481 Rp 8.5M

-88.72%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,490 KES 451.6K

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

-38.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.29 KES 3,661

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

-37.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.06 KES 3,631

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

-21.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 KES 9,183

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-11.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$19.23 KES 2,489

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

-75.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$99.0 KES 12.8K

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

-91.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$59.0 KES 7,632

$698 Rp 12.4M

-91.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 KES 35.6K

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

-92.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$175 KES 22.6K

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-89.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$619 KES 80.1K

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

-77.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.71

13.78

6.75%

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

Last update for Thika: September 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $99.0 in Thika and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $34.00 in Thika vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $151 vs $295 per month, with Thika 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

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

Thika is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $785 in Thika and $2,052 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $99.0 in Thika versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $54.2 in Thika versus $481 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 $34.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $523 in Thika versus $1,368 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 161% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.