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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $523 in Thimphu versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $802 in Thimphu versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,082 in Thimphu versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.60 BTN 220

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

-24.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.08 BTN 1,189

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

-61.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.65 BTN 308

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

-36.08%

Cappuccino

$1.34 BTN 113

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

-49.81%

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

$0.53 BTN 44.35

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

-69.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 BTN 14.38

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

-80.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.55 BTN 216

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

-13.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 BTN 183

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

-52.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 BTN 71.0

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

-48.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 BTN 89.5

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-54.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 BTN 85.3

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

-9.01%

Eggs

$1.95 BTN 165

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

-11.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.84 BTN 324

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-78.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.13 BTN 348

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

0.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.07 BTN 343

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

-66.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.58 BTN 218

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-30.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 BTN 129

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

-4.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 BTN 140

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

-27.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.79 BTN 66.5

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

-59.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 BTN 48.00

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

-70.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.66 BTN 55.4

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-71.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.36 BTN 30.69

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

-64.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.31 BTN 26.37

$0.55 Rp 9,773

-43.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.83 BTN 324

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

71.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$2.80 BTN 236

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-87.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 BTN 53.7

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

-73.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.40 BTN 118

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

-53.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.78 BTN 65.4

$0.27 Rp 4,814

188.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$5.10 BTN 431

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

-43.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.81 BTN 68.3

$0.48 Rp 8,566

68.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 BTN 136

$0.43 Rp 7,679

274.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.16 BTN 13.42

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

-97.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 BTN 64.8

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

-3.75%

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

$16.6K BTN 1.4M

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

-33.42%

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

$15.4K BTN 1.3M

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

-51.36%

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

$35.36 BTN 2,985

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

-56.59%

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

$36.45 BTN 3,077

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

461.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.89 BTN 2,101

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

32.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.12 BTN 3,978

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-17.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.70 BTN 650

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

-58.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.13 BTN 264

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

-31.06%

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

$45.00 BTN 3,799

$481 Rp 8.5M

-90.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$578 BTN 48.8K

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

-89.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.28 BTN 4,160

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

8.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$24.81 BTN 2,094

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

-30.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.0 BTN 5,827

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

-14.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$14.21 BTN 1,200

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

-81.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$129 BTN 10.9K

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-88.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$86.4 BTN 7,290

$698 Rp 12.4M

-87.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$194 BTN 16.4K

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-94.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 BTN 13.3K

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-90.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,694 BTN 565.1K

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

140.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$387 BTN 32.7K

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

-83.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$350 BTN 29.5K

$168 Rp 3.0M

108.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Thimphu: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $129 in Thimphu and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thimphu pays 108% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $14.00 in Thimphu vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $128 vs $295 per month, with Thimphu 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

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

Thimphu and Ubud, Bali differ by about 161% in total monthly costs ($523 vs $1,368 including rent). Thimphu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 108% higher in Thimphu, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $129 in Thimphu versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Thimphu – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $523 per month in Thimphu versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $523 in Thimphu versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Thimphu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Thimphu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Thimphu 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 Thimphu 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.