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: $478 in Thika versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $795 in Thika versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,113 in Thika versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Thika costs roughly 67% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Thika is 64% below, Ubud, Bali is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.27 KES 681

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

47.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.16 KES 5,061

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

20.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.95 KES 899

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

37.08%

Cappuccino

$2.44 KES 315

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

-13.78%

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

$0.74 KES 95.8

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

-44.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.50 KES 64.5

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

-27.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 KES 223

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

-42.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 KES 256

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

-48.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.92 KES 120

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

-47.13%

White Bread (500g)

$0.44 KES 57.5

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-82.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 KES 171

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

11.76%

Eggs

$1.37 KES 177

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

-43.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.51 KES 1,488

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-21.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.86 KES 887

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

64.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$1.98 KES 255

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

-83.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.02 KES 390

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

-18.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 KES 139

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

-33.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.09 KES 270

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

-22.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 KES 135

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

-55.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.03 KES 134

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

-46.07%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 KES 144

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-49.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 KES 88.6

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

-34.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 KES 106

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

13.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.35 KES 304

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

-24.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.65 KES 731

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-75.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 KES 223

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

-36.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 KES 247

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

-33.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,010

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 KES 198

$0.45 Rp 7,834

240.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.57 KES 203

$0.42 Rp 7,278

273.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.96 KES 383

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

-51.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 KES 132

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

21.43%

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

$22.1K KES 2.9M

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

-15.83%

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

$19.7K KES 2.6M

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

-39.23%

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

$34.17 KES 4,415

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-56.43%

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

$17.06 KES 2,205

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

331.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.97 KES 5,036

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

59.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 KES 814

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

55.94%

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

$202 KES 26.1K

$303 Rp 5.2M

-33.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,948 KES 1.0M

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

21.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.57 KES 2,400

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

-65.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.27 KES 3,136

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

-36.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.5 KES 8,593

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-23.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$56.7 KES 7,324

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-28.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$615 KES 79.5K

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

-79.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $39.00 in Thika vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $176 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 201% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $717 in Thika and $2,158 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 $202 in Thika versus $303 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $478 in Thika versus $1,438 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 201% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.