Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubon Ratchathani and Durban Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubon Ratchathani and Durban

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $772 per month in Ubon Ratchathani vs $1,053 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,397 per month in Ubon Ratchathani vs $1,539 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,023 per month in Ubon Ratchathani vs $2,024 in Durban, rent included.

Ubon Ratchathani is about 27% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ubon Ratchathani and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Ubon Ratchathani 42% lower, Durban 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.15 ฿106

$7.63 R 126

-58.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.35 ฿821

$28.41 R 468

-14.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.29 ฿212

$4.99 R 82.2

26.05%

Cappuccino

$1.88 ฿63.2

$1.96 R 32.33

-4.08%

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

$1.07 ฿35.91

$0.89 R 14.73

20.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.44

$0.66 R 10.82

-25.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.41 ฿81.1

$2.02 R 33.19

19.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ฿99.2

$2.22 R 36.53

32.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ฿59.4

$1.04 R 17.04

69.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ฿46.75

$0.96 R 15.76

44.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 ฿44.57

$1.42 R 23.41

-7.04%

Eggs

$2.23 ฿75.3

$2.21 R 36.34

0.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.55 ฿625

$7.52 R 124

146.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.04 ฿103

$4.43 R 73.0

-31.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.01 ฿371

$6.22 R 102

77.01%

Apples (1kg)

$3.15 ฿106

$1.57 R 25.81

100.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ฿42.20

$1.37 R 22.56

-8.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ฿65.8

$1.34 R 22.04

45.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.52 ฿51.3

$1.36 R 22.39

11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$1.53 ฿51.5

$1.32 R 21.77

15.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.24 ฿41.96

$1.22 R 20.02

1.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿33.32

$1.02 R 16.80

-2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ฿17.60

$0.90 R 14.86

-42.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ฿140

$3.02 R 49.77

37.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.55 ฿457

$4.85 R 79.8

179.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.73 ฿58.5

$1.39 R 22.91

24.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ฿94.2

$1.68 R 27.64

66.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ฿31.98

$1.52 R 24.98

-37.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.32 R 631

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.07 ฿36.00

$1.72 R 28.26

-37.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.20 ฿40.36

$0.62 R 10.21

93.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 ฿205

$6.86 R 113

-11.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ฿42.42

$1.26 R 20.80

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

$27.5K ฿927.9K

$19.9K R 328.3K

38.01%

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

$27.6K ฿931.6K

$24.4K R 401.3K

13.36%

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

$77.4 ฿2,609

$146 R 2,408

-47.10%

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

$13.05 ฿440

$29.40 R 484

-55.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.26 ฿514

$33.58 R 553

-54.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.08 ฿1,654

$34.43 R 567

42.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.41 ฿418

$8.96 R 148

38.50%

Cinema Ticket

$7.14 ฿241

$6.57 R 108

8.68%

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

$293 ฿9,873

$209 R 3,442

40.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,857 ฿332.3K

$4,600 R 75.7K

114.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.51 ฿1,130

$41.51 R 683

-19.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.19 ฿1,186

$30.49 R 502

15.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 ฿3,358

$94.0 R 1,548

5.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.2 ฿2,400

$72.1 R 1,186

-1.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 ฿8,235

$379 R 6,234

-35.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$162 ฿5,448

$371 R 6,114

-56.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$829 ฿27.9K

$757 R 12.5K

9.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 ฿22.3K

$595 R 9,801

10.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,133 ฿71.9K

$914 R 15.0K

133.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,277 ฿43.1K

$588 R 9,678

117.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$360 ฿12.1K

$1,213 R 20.0K

-70.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.45

12.01

-54.62%

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

Last update for Ubon Ratchathani: July 19, 2026

Last update for Durban: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $379 in Durban. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 237% higher in Durban, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $28.00 in Durban. Groceries tell a different story – $247 in Ubon Ratchathani vs $167 in Durban – so Durban wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Ubon Ratchathani vs Durban: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Durban is pricier by about 37%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,157 per month in Ubon Ratchathani and $1,580 in Durban. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubon Ratchathani, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Ubon Ratchathani and $28.00 in Durban. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 48% cheaper in Durban – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,000 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $772 in Ubon Ratchathani and $1,053 in Durban, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Ubon Ratchathani – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubon Ratchathani. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Durban makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.