Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Hat Yai

For one person, living is cheaper in Hat Yai: $731 a month against $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Hat Yai
🇹🇭 Thailand
$731
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Hat Yai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Hat Yai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $731 in Hat Yai.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,368
  • Hat Yai $731

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,300 in Hat Yai.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,314
  • Hat Yai $1,300

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,870 in Hat Yai.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,260
  • Hat Yai $1,870

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 87% more expensive than in Hat Yai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 1% above, Hat Yai is 46% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Hat Yai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 Rp 59.9K
$2.90 ฿96.9
14.83%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.18 Rp 633.2K
$43.67 ฿1,460
-19.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.80 Rp 104.5K
$3.66 ฿122
58.47%
Cappuccino
$2.73 Rp 49.1K
$2.88 ฿96.3
-5.21%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 Rp 29.5K
$1.33 ฿44.34
23.31%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 Rp 15.0K
$0.56 ฿18.60
48.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.70 Rp 48.6K
$1.80 ฿60.1
50.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.30 Rp 77.4K
$3.46 ฿116
24.28%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Hat Yai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 Rp 27.1K
$1.45 ฿48.55
3.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 Rp 41.4K
$1.25 ฿41.68
84.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$1.24 ฿41.28
-4.84%
Eggs
$2.14 Rp 38.6K
$2.51 ฿83.9
-14.74%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.48 Rp 314.6K
$22.15 ฿740
-21.08%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.03 Rp 72.5K
$2.24 ฿74.7
79.91%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 Rp 220.1K
$11.19 ฿374
9.29%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 63.9K
$2.54 ฿84.8
39.76%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.38 ฿46.10
13.77%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.2K
$1.89 ฿63.3
18.52%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.93 Rp 34.7K
$1.80 ฿60.3
7.22%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 Rp 33.9K
$1.46 ฿48.94
28.77%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 Rp 41.3K
$1.03 ฿34.38
122.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.9K
$1.07 ฿35.74
-7.48%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,475
$0.41 ฿13.57
29.27%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 Rp 41.1K
$4.36 ฿146
-47.71%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.01 Rp 414.2K
$15.03 ฿502
53.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 Rp 42.2K
$1.77 ฿59.2
32.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 Rp 52.4K
$1.99 ฿66.4
46.23%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Hat Yai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 Rp 4,315
$0.57 ฿18.98
-57.89%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.82 Rp 158.7K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,684
$1.25 ฿41.71
-61.60%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 Rp 8,233
$1.13 ฿37.78
-59.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 Rp 98.2K
$4.94 ฿165
10.32%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
$1.29 ฿43.15
-31.78%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K Rp 442.2M
$18.9K ฿630.6K
30.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K Rp 561.4M
$45.1K ฿1.5M
-30.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Hat Yai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
$84.4 ฿2,819
-1.60%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 116.0K
$11.75 ฿393
-45.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.57 Rp 334.2K
$9.65 ฿322
92.44%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Hat Yai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 Rp 1.0M
$48.45 ฿1,619
15.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.11 Rp 326.0K
$14.10 ฿471
28.44%
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 78.9K
$7.19 ฿240
-39.08%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Hat Yai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$562 ฿18.8K
-12.25%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,754 Rp 103.6M
$10.7K ฿357.3K
-46.18%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Hat Yai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.19 Rp 831.4K
$37.54 ฿1,255
23.04%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.33 Rp 636.0K
$26.26 ฿878
34.54%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$70.9 ฿2,369
11.60%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$97.3 ฿3,250
-19.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Hat Yai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,142 Rp 20.6M
$270 ฿9,010
323.75%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$676 Rp 12.2M
$107 ฿3,576
531.39%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,503 Rp 63.1M
$729 ฿24.4K
380.36%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,700 Rp 30.6M
$397 ฿13.3K
328.23%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,784 Rp 50.1M
$1,915 ฿64.0K
45.36%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$1,584 ฿52.9K
41.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Hat Yai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
$452 ฿15.1K
-63.57%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
6.36
116.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Last update for Hat Yai: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$676
Hat Yai
$107 84.2% $569
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$290
Hat Yai
$249 14.2% $41
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$109
Hat Yai
$92 15.2% $17
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$108
Hat Yai
$106 2.1% $2.3
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Hat Yai
$104 3% $3.2
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$65
Hat Yai
$63 2.7% $1.7
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$13
Hat Yai
$9.2 * 26.9% $3.4

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,142 in Ubud, Bali and $270 in Hat Yai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hat Yai pays 175% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $44.00 in Hat Yai. Groceries flip the comparison at $290 vs $249, with Hat Yai cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇹🇭 Hat Yai
🕒 Local time
04:35 4:35 AM
03:35 3:35 AM
1 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
156,802
💱 Currency
Thai Baht THB ฿
Exchange rates and currency converter

THB, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,238 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Thai Baht exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 33.42 THB (100 THB = 2.99 USD). 1 EUR = 37.58 THB (100 THB = 2.66 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Hat Yai 2,380 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Hat Yai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Ubud, Bali vs Hat Yai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Hat Yai?
Hat Yai wins on cost – living expenses run 87% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hat Yai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Hat Yai?
On paper, salaries run 175% lower in Hat Yai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali compared to Hat Yai?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,142 in Ubud, Bali versus $270 in Hat Yai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do childcare costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Hat Yai?
Childcare runs $493 in Ubud, Bali versus $562 in Hat Yai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
How do dining costs compare in Ubud, Bali and in Hat Yai?
Dining out is cheaper in Hat Yai – a meal for two runs $44.00 versus $35.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Hat Yai?
At $731 in Hat Yai versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hat Yai but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Hat Yai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Hat Yai?
Both work as nomad bases, but Hat Yai delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $731 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Hat Yai hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Hat Yai?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Hat Yai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Hat Yai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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