Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Khon Kaen Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Khon Kaen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $739 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,255 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,770 in Khon Kaen, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 90% more than Khon Kaen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Khon Kaen is 45% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$1.58 ฿53.3

118.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$30.23 ฿1,017

6.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$6.08 ฿205

-20.39%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$1.60 ฿53.9

71.87%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.65 ฿21.84

112.31%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.29 ฿9.74

158.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$1.87 ฿62.9

59.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$5.78 ฿195

-33.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.70 ฿57.3

2.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.21 ฿40.64

103.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.95 ฿32.07

23.16%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$2.62 ฿88.2

-7.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$18.78 ฿632

-22.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$3.03 ฿102

43.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$10.62 ฿357

12.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$3.16 ฿106

17.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$0.89 ฿30.02

83.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.50 ฿50.3

82.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.24 ฿41.82

80.65%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$1.83 ฿61.6

4.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.19 ฿40.11

91.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.88 ฿29.65

20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.52 ฿17.40

38.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$4.52 ฿152

-27.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.80 ฿60.5

54.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$2.40 ฿80.7

13.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.89 ฿29.88

-69.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$1.10 ฿36.91

-56.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$1.15 ฿38.62

-63.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$6.04 ฿203

2.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.30 ฿43.86

-37.69%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$46.6K ฿1.6M

-42.87%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$27.6K ฿928.9K

16.60%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$66.2 ฿2,229

18.30%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$23.03 ฿775

-82.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$23.54 ฿792

3.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$62.2 ฿2,091

58.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$12.16 ฿409

-47.86%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$6.25 ฿210

-36.16%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$299 ฿10.1K

2.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$9,406 ฿316.5K

-29.39%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$30.43 ฿1,024

77.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$42.14 ฿1,418

-10.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$75.7 ฿2,548

14.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$63.5 ฿2,137

20.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$251 ฿8,442

295.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$167 ฿5,632

301.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$762 ฿25.6K

342.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$427 ฿14.4K

380.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.45

143.67%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Khon Kaen: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $251 in Khon Kaen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $30.00 in Khon Kaen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $212 – making Khon Kaen the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Khon Kaen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 90%, 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 $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,109 in Khon Kaen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $739 in Khon Kaen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $305 per month in Ubud, Bali and $299 in Khon Kaen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Khon Kaen, where all-in costs run around $739, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Khon Kaen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Khon Kaen – 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 Khon Kaen. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.