Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Koh Samui Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Koh Samui

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,212 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,363 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,002 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,347 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,793 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 14% more than Koh Samui, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Ubud, Bali sits 1% above the global median, while Koh Samui is 12% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$4.62 ฿152

-28.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$35.16 ฿1,153

11.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$8.67 ฿284

-35.18%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.90 ฿95.1

-8.97%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$0.84 ฿27.54

88.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.47 ฿15.49

51.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$2.41 ฿79.0

13.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$3.70 ฿121

16.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.90 ฿62.3

-18.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.43 ฿46.83

60.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.63 ฿53.4

-36.81%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$2.14 ฿70.3

-0.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$19.56 ฿642

-11.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$3.45 ฿113

16.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$11.24 ฿369

10.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$2.92 ฿95.7

26.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.67 ฿54.7

-2.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$2.35 ฿77.2

-3.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$2.12 ฿69.6

-6.13%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$1.53 ฿50.4

19.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$1.40 ฿45.99

60.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$1.13 ฿37.21

-7.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.55 ฿18.03

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$4.29 ฿141

-48.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$18.89 ฿620

22.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$1.78 ฿58.4

34.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$2.86 ฿93.8

0.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$2.35 ฿77.1

-89.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

$45.79 ฿1,502

-84.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$3.20 ฿105

-85.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$1.12 ฿36.86

-58.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$4.12 ฿135

38.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.52 ฿49.96

-50.00%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$28.3K ฿929.7K

-13.29%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$28.1K ฿921.3K

10.50%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$110 ฿3,595

-25.01%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$11.84 ฿388

-46.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$18.61 ฿610

-0.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$55.6 ฿1,826

0.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

$11.69 ฿383

57.49%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$8.29 ฿272

-48.61%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$615 ฿20.2K

-20.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$12.7K ฿417.0K

-54.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$65.3 ฿2,143

-29.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$29.08 ฿954

23.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$97.2 ฿3,188

-18.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$90.4 ฿2,967

-10.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$625 ฿20.5K

82.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$423 ฿13.9K

63.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$1,775 ฿58.2K

98.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$1,060 ฿34.8K

61.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$2,983 ฿97.9K

-6.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$2,213 ฿72.6K

2.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$396 ฿13.0K

-57.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.57

147.40%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Koh Samui: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $625 in Koh Samui. 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 134% higher in Koh Samui, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $35.00 in Koh Samui. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $274 – making Koh Samui 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 Koh Samui: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali, $1,212 in Koh Samui – roughly 14% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,069 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,818 in Koh Samui. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 7% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $35.00 in Koh Samui. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Koh Samui, where all-in costs run around $1,212, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,379. In Koh Samui it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Koh Samui has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,212 in Koh Samui to $1,379 in Ubud, Bali. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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 Koh Samui. 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.