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 $790 per month in Ubon Ratchathani vs $1,069 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,425 per month in Ubon Ratchathani vs $1,536 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,060 per month in Ubon Ratchathani vs $2,003 in Durban, rent included.

Ubon Ratchathani is about 26% cheaper than Durban, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Ubon Ratchathani and Durban are more affordable than the global median – Ubon Ratchathani 41% lower, Durban 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ฿96.6

$7.35 R 121

-59.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.29 ฿779

$27.99 R 459

-13.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.39 ฿205

$4.93 R 80.9

29.61%

Cappuccino

$1.86 ฿59.5

$1.96 R 32.17

-5.10%

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

$1.06 ฿34.00

$0.89 R 14.60

19.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿15.82

$0.71 R 11.72

-30.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.53 ฿81.1

$1.94 R 31.86

30.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ฿91.2

$2.17 R 35.64

30.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 ฿55.9

$1.03 R 16.96

68.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.33 ฿42.61

$0.96 R 15.73

38.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.31 ฿42.15

$1.47 R 24.15

-10.88%

Eggs

$2.16 ฿69.2

$2.10 R 34.44

2.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.38 ฿589

$7.23 R 119

154.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ฿99.0

$4.50 R 73.8

-31.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.60 ฿340

$6.26 R 103

69.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.10 ฿99.4

$1.50 R 24.64

106.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ฿40.55

$1.37 R 22.49

-8.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ฿60.6

$1.38 R 22.63

36.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.59 ฿50.9

$1.35 R 22.21

17.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.48 ฿47.30

$1.32 R 21.62

12.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿38.65

$1.17 R 19.21

3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 ฿32.96

$1.03 R 16.87

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.34

$0.89 R 14.66

-46.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.19 ฿134

$3.04 R 49.82

37.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.98 ฿448

$4.88 R 80.1

186.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.72 ฿55.1

$1.46 R 23.91

17.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 ฿85.6

$1.73 R 28.40

54.34%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.95 ฿30.51

$1.55 R 25.45

-38.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$38.88 R 638

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 ฿35.49

$1.70 R 27.84

-34.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.15 ฿36.74

$0.58 R 9.48

98.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 ฿198

$6.59 R 108

-6.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ฿41.11

$1.33 R 21.81

-3.76%

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

$27.7K ฿888.5K

$20.5K R 335.6K

35.41%

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

$27.0K ฿865.8K

$24.0K R 394.1K

12.37%

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

$75.9 ฿2,432

$145 R 2,372

-47.56%

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

$13.05 ฿418

$29.02 R 476

-55.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.08 ฿483

$33.87 R 556

-55.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.50 ฿1,587

$34.73 R 570

42.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.28 ฿394

$9.45 R 155

29.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.91 ฿222

$6.79 R 111

1.77%

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

$294 ฿9,438

$204 R 3,341

44.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,474 ฿303.7K

$4,538 R 74.4K

108.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$33.84 ฿1,085

$42.70 R 700

-20.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.40 ฿1,103

$30.08 R 493

14.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 ฿3,122

$93.8 R 1,539

3.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 ฿2,264

$73.2 R 1,201

-3.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$242 ฿7,750

$365 R 5,987

-33.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$166 ฿5,307

$371 R 6,077

-55.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$809 ฿25.9K

$734 R 12.0K

10.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$652 ฿20.9K

$598 R 9,802

9.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,288 ฿73.4K

$963 R 15.8K

137.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,520 ฿48.7K

$698 R 11.4K

117.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$400 ฿12.8K

$1,278 R 21.0K

-68.72%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Durban: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $242 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $365 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 220% 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 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $28 in Durban. Groceries tell a different story – $244 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 35%, 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 $1,185 per month in Ubon Ratchathani and $1,604 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 46% 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 $790 in Ubon Ratchathani and $1,069 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.