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 $781 per month in Ubon Ratchathani vs $1,058 in Durban, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,408 per month in Ubon Ratchathani vs $1,552 in Durban, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,034 per month in Ubon Ratchathani vs $2,046 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 42% lower, Durban 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.99 ฿98.0

$7.60 R 126

-60.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.81 ฿814

$28.12 R 465

-11.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.35 ฿208

$4.97 R 82.3

27.77%

Cappuccino

$1.95 ฿63.9

$1.97 R 32.58

-1.02%

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

$1.10 ฿35.99

$0.87 R 14.39

26.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 ฿17.32

$0.67 R 11.14

-20.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.39 ฿78.4

$1.93 R 31.88

23.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ฿93.8

$2.22 R 36.69

28.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.67 ฿54.9

$1.00 R 16.48

67.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.40 ฿45.93

$0.91 R 15.07

53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 ฿41.22

$1.48 R 24.58

-14.86%

Eggs

$2.24 ฿73.4

$2.11 R 34.89

6.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.18 ฿596

$7.28 R 121

149.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ฿102

$4.59 R 76.1

-32.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.98 ฿360

$6.33 R 105

73.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.21 ฿105

$1.57 R 26.01

104.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ฿40.00

$1.36 R 22.49

-10.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.96 ฿64.3

$1.38 R 22.85

42.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.60 ฿52.5

$1.36 R 22.55

17.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 ฿48.80

$1.27 R 21.04

17.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.21 ฿39.58

$1.18 R 19.54

2.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ฿32.41

$0.97 R 16.12

2.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ฿15.89

$0.96 R 15.87

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 ฿141

$3.13 R 51.9

37.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.02 ฿460

$5.02 R 83.1

179.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 ฿57.6

$1.46 R 24.18

20.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ฿90.5

$1.75 R 28.92

57.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.96 ฿31.48

$1.50 R 24.78

-36.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.86 R 627

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.06 ฿34.66

$1.71 R 28.28

-38.01%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.16 ฿37.88

$0.61 R 10.14

90.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.00 ฿197

$6.78 R 112

-11.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 ฿40.62

$1.28 R 21.12

-3.13%

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

$27.6K ฿904.0K

$20.3K R 336.1K

35.78%

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

$27.3K ฿896.8K

$24.2K R 401.2K

12.85%

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

$75.1 ฿2,464

$147 R 2,432

-48.86%

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

$12.89 ฿423

$29.29 R 485

-55.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.15 ฿497

$33.72 R 558

-55.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.88 ฿1,603

$34.46 R 570

41.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.13 ฿398

$9.14 R 151

32.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.24 ฿238

$6.56 R 109

10.37%

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

$302 ฿9,915

$210 R 3,468

44.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,663 ฿316.9K

$4,585 R 75.9K

110.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.14 ฿1,119

$42.78 R 708

-20.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.44 ฿1,129

$29.50 R 488

16.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$98.9 ฿3,243

$93.3 R 1,544

6.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 ฿2,290

$73.1 R 1,209

-4.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$248 ฿8,143

$373 R 6,176

-33.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$163 ฿5,341

$368 R 6,085

-55.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ฿27.1K

$754 R 12.5K

9.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$666 ฿21.8K

$594 R 9,831

12.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,725 ฿56.6K

$910 R 15.1K

89.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,338 ฿43.9K

$581 R 9,617

130.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$371 ฿12.2K

$1,395 R 23.1K

-73.41%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Durban: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $248 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $373 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 276% 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 $25.00 in Ubon Ratchathani versus $28.00 in Durban. Groceries tell a different story – $246 in Ubon Ratchathani vs $168 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 $1,172 per month in Ubon Ratchathani and $1,587 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 $25.00 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 $781 in Ubon Ratchathani and $1,058 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.