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 $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,240 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,188 in Koh Samui, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,137 in Koh Samui, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 13% more than Koh Samui, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Koh Samui is 8% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$4.52 ฿147

-21.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$46.22 ฿1,506

-29.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$8.77 ฿286

-44.58%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.93 ฿95.3

-6.14%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$0.69 ฿22.57

91.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.39 ฿12.71

79.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.50 ฿81.5

16.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.68 ฿120

2.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$2.17 ฿70.7

-21.20%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.82 ฿59.1

35.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.20 ฿71.6

-45.45%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.23 ฿72.6

9.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$19.55 ฿637

-26.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$3.78 ฿123

14.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$13.10 ฿427

-6.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$3.35 ฿109

9.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.65 ฿53.6

-6.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.30 ฿74.9

21.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$2.00 ฿65.3

16.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.60 ฿52.2

23.12%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.43 ฿46.64

61.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.98 ฿31.94

8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.49 ฿15.96

48.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$4.41 ฿144

-25.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$18.67 ฿608

22.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.86 ฿60.6

51.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.71 ฿88.2

2.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$1.42 ฿46.15

-79.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$47.10 ฿1,534

-82.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$3.21 ฿105

-85.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.10 ฿35.73

-59.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$14.33 ฿467

-56.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.42 ฿46.09

-40.14%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$29.3K ฿953.7K

-11.28%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$34.8K ฿1.1M

-9.08%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$129 ฿4,210

-37.53%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$14.22 ฿463

-71.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$19.86 ฿647

22.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$63.8 ฿2,076

53.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$17.91 ฿583

-63.99%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$9.45 ฿308

-57.25%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$769 ฿25.0K

-60.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$17.6K ฿573.7K

-62.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$57.7 ฿1,881

-6.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$34.38 ฿1,120

12.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$114 ฿3,714

-24.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$85.2 ฿2,773

-9.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$516 ฿16.8K

90.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$371 ฿12.1K

77.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$1,753 ฿57.1K

92.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$1,279 ฿41.7K

61.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$3,127 ฿101.9K

-12.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$2,226 ฿72.5K

0.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$402 ฿13.1K

-59.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.33

149.16%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Koh Samui: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $516 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 146% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $46.00 in Koh Samui. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $290 in Koh Samui – so Koh Samui 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

Ubud, Bali vs Koh Samui: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, $1,240 in Koh Samui – roughly 13% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Getting Around showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,860 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 2% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $46.00 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 $1,240, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. 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 $1,240 in Koh Samui to $1,404 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.