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: $457 in Thimphu versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $749 in Thimphu versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,041 in Thimphu versus $3,763 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 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 BTN 250

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

-14.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.68 BTN 1,492

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

-45.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.43 BTN 290

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

-29.13%

Cappuccino

$1.42 BTN 120

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

-48.36%

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

$0.49 BTN 41.27

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

-64.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.15 BTN 12.46

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

-80.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.85 BTN 241

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

-4.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 BTN 192

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

-41.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.80 BTN 67.4

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

-54.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.95 BTN 80.3

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

-61.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.68 BTN 57.8

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

-41.88%

Eggs

$2.05 BTN 173

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

-15.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.34 BTN 282

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

-76.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 BTN 322

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

-12.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.41 BTN 372

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

-63.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 BTN 211

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

-32.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 BTN 123

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

-10.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 BTN 160

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

-31.02%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.77 BTN 65.0

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

-65.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.50 BTN 42.01

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

-73.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.58 BTN 48.64

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

-74.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 BTN 38.59

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-56.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.34 BTN 28.92

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

-52.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.71 BTN 313

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

12.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$3.23 BTN 273

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

-86.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 BTN 53.0

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-77.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.08 BTN 91.0

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

-60.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 BTN 150

$0.27 Rp 4,786

559.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$4.07 BTN 343

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

-49.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.88 BTN 74.5

$0.48 Rp 8,675

83.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.34 BTN 198

$0.42 Rp 7,545

457.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$0.17 BTN 14.64

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

-97.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.91 BTN 77.1

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

12.35%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

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

$23.57 BTN 1,989

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

-69.92%

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

$38.26 BTN 3,229

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

840.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.70 BTN 2,254

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

9.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.96 BTN 4,133

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-50.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.69 BTN 649

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

21.29%

Cinema Ticket

$3.58 BTN 302

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

-10.28%

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

$241 BTN 20.3K

$305 Rp 5.5M

-21.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$660 BTN 55.7K

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

-90.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$9.14 BTN 772

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

-83.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$11.54 BTN 974

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

-69.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$32.39 BTN 2,734

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-62.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$31.64 BTN 2,671

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

-58.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$114 BTN 9,634

$992 Rp 17.8M

-88.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$61.9 BTN 5,224

$673 Rp 12.1M

-90.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$198 BTN 16.7K

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

-94.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$139 BTN 11.7K

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-93.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,611 BTN 558.1K

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

135.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$391 BTN 33.0K

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

-82.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$352 BTN 29.7K

$167 Rp 3.0M

110.91%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $114 in Thimphu and $992 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $124 vs $297 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 208% in total monthly costs ($457 vs $1,408 including rent). Thimphu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 111% 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: $114 in Thimphu versus $992 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $457 per month in Thimphu versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 208% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $457 in Thimphu versus $1,408 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 208% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.