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: $455 in Thimphu versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $757 in Thimphu versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,059 in Thimphu versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Thimphu costs roughly 68% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Thimphu is 66% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 BTN 248

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

-17.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.63 BTN 1,488

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

-46.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.47 BTN 293

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

-29.90%

Cappuccino

$1.48 BTN 125

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

-45.39%

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

$0.48 BTN 40.91

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

-64.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.17 BTN 14.15

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

-75.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 BTN 252

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 BTN 194

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

-41.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.87 BTN 73.1

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-51.93%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 BTN 79.8

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-62.30%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 BTN 62.5

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

-36.21%

Eggs

$2.00 BTN 169

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

-18.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.24 BTN 273

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-77.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 BTN 319

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

-12.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.25 BTN 359

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

-64.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.54 BTN 215

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-33.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 BTN 128

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

-2.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.86 BTN 157

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

-34.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.73 BTN 61.7

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

-68.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 BTN 45.20

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

-71.73%

Onion (1kg)

$0.62 BTN 52.0

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

-71.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 BTN 38.43

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

-54.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 BTN 28.88

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

-56.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 BTN 317

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

13.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.19 BTN 270

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-86.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 BTN 53.8

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

-77.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.04 BTN 87.4

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

-63.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.71 BTN 144

$0.27 Rp 4,800

533.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.10 BTN 346

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

-48.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 BTN 71.6

$0.46 Rp 8,150

84.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.23 BTN 188

$0.45 Rp 8,037

395.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.19 BTN 15.82

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

-96.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.97 BTN 82.2

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

22.78%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

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

$23.29 BTN 1,966

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-70.87%

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

$38.02 BTN 3,209

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

836.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.34 BTN 2,308

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

16.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.52 BTN 4,096

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-50.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.60 BTN 642

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

14.63%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 BTN 290

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

-17.35%

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

$242 BTN 20.4K

$304 Rp 5.4M

-20.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$681 BTN 57.4K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

-89.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.13 BTN 771

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

-83.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.81 BTN 997

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

-69.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$31.80 BTN 2,685

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-64.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.61 BTN 2,668

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-59.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$118 BTN 9,925

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-88.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$63.5 BTN 5,363

$675 Rp 12.1M

-90.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 BTN 17.1K

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-94.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 BTN 11.7K

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-93.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,698 BTN 565.4K

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

135.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$390 BTN 33.0K

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

-82.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$349 BTN 29.4K

$165 Rp 3.0M

110.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.75

13.28

-19.05%

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

Last update for Thimphu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $118 in Thimphu and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thimphu pays 111% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Thimphu vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $302 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 212% in total monthly costs ($455 vs $1,419 including rent). Thimphu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Thimphu pays 111% more on average, 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: $118 in Thimphu versus $1,006 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 $18.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $455 per month in Thimphu versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 212% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $455 in Thimphu versus $1,419 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 212% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.