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: $481 in Thika versus $1,394 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $806 in Thika versus $2,551 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,131 in Thika versus $3,708 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 64% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.58 KES 722

$3.40 Rp 60.2K

64.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.20 KES 4,943

$32.38 Rp 573.6K

17.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.99 KES 904

$5.00 Rp 88.6K

39.80%

Cappuccino

$2.45 KES 317

$2.82 Rp 50.0K

-13.12%

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

$0.70 KES 90.6

$1.38 Rp 24.4K

-49.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 65.0

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

-31.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.67 KES 216

$2.98 Rp 52.8K

-43.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$3.97 Rp 70.3K

-50.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 KES 119

$1.79 Rp 31.8K

-48.60%

White Bread (500g)

$0.48 KES 62.1

$2.46 Rp 43.7K

-80.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 KES 173

$1.20 Rp 21.2K

11.67%

Eggs

$1.42 KES 184

$2.39 Rp 42.3K

-40.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 KES 1,489

$14.40 Rp 255.1K

-20.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.66 KES 862

$4.28 Rp 75.9K

55.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.91 KES 247

$11.82 Rp 209.4K

-83.84%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 KES 413

$3.78 Rp 67.0K

-15.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.04 KES 134

$1.63 Rp 28.9K

-36.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.16 KES 279

$2.80 Rp 49.6K

-22.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.01 KES 130

$2.26 Rp 40.0K

-55.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 133

$2.00 Rp 35.3K

-48.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$2.21 Rp 39.2K

-49.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 89.0

$1.07 Rp 18.9K

-35.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.81 KES 105

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

6.58%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.27 KES 293

$3.13 Rp 55.4K

-27.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.96 KES 771

$23.81 Rp 421.9K

-74.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 KES 215

$2.84 Rp 50.3K

-41.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 KES 248

$2.78 Rp 49.2K

-30.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,726

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 148.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$0.45 Rp 8,034

240.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 KES 197

$0.43 Rp 7,578

253.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 KES 385

$5.98 Rp 105.9K

-50.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 KES 133

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

28.75%

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

$21.5K KES 2.8M

$25.8K Rp 457.2M

-16.61%

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

$20.1K KES 2.6M

$31.8K Rp 563.4M

-36.85%

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

$34.32 KES 4,441

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

-57.49%

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

$16.72 KES 2,164

$4.14 Rp 73.3K

303.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$39.29 KES 5,084

$24.12 Rp 427.2K

62.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 117.7K

Cinema Ticket

$6.05 KES 783

$4.04 Rp 71.5K

49.75%

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

$205 KES 26.6K

$297 Rp 5.3M

-30.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,902 KES 1.0M

$6,590 Rp 116.7M

19.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.41 KES 2,382

$55.1 Rp 976.8K

-66.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.10 KES 3,119

$38.51 Rp 682.1K

-37.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.4 KES 8,332

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

-25.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.3 KES 7,414

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

-26.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.0M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$624 KES 80.7K

$2,829 Rp 50.1M

-77.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $38.00 in Thika vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $176 vs $299, 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 190% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $721 in Thika and $2,091 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 $205 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 $38.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $481 in Thika versus $1,394 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 190% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.