Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Maha Sarakham Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Maha Sarakham

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $916 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,498 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,732 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,079 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 57% more than Maha Sarakham, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 7% above the global median, while Maha Sarakham is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$3.04 ฿99.5

17.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$27.12 ฿887

20.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$6.37 ฿208

-20.41%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$2.01 ฿65.7

40.80%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$0.67 ฿21.89

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$0.27 ฿8.70

155.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$2.44 ฿79.9

22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$3.59 ฿118

7.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.75 ฿57.2

-0.57%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.33 ฿43.53

90.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$1.27 ฿41.62

-6.30%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$2.20 ฿71.8

10.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$18.81 ฿615

-22.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$3.01 ฿98.4

38.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$10.62 ฿347

12.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$3.23 ฿106

14.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$1.25 ฿40.81

28.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$1.90 ฿62.2

41.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$1.57 ฿51.4

48.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$1.51 ฿49.43

26.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.24 ฿40.70

76.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.03 ฿33.60

2.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.51 ฿16.75

41.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$4.40 ฿144

-28.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$16.89 ฿552

39.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.79 ฿58.6

53.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$2.75 ฿90.0

4.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$0.95 ฿31.20

-69.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$1.09 ฿35.78

-58.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.20 ฿39.26

-65.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$6.20 ฿203

-0.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.25 ฿40.76

-32.80%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$28.1K ฿920.2K

-6.74%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$27.1K ฿887.4K

19.68%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$75.9 ฿2,482

3.32%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$13.51 ฿442

-70.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$18.71 ฿612

30.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$50.2 ฿1,640

92.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$12.23 ฿400

-48.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$7.03 ฿230

-42.53%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$297 ฿9,700

2.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$9,747 ฿318.7K

-33.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$33.86 ฿1,107

59.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$34.94 ฿1,143

8.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$99.0 ฿3,236

-12.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$71.4 ฿2,336

10.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$427 ฿14.0K

137.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$287 ฿9,375

135.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$813 ฿26.6K

317.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$655 ฿21.4K

220.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$2,136 ฿69.8K

39.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$1,589 ฿52.0K

47.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 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: April 28, 2026

Last update for Maha Sarakham: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $427 in Maha Sarakham. 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $27.00 in Maha Sarakham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $253 – making Maha Sarakham 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 Maha Sarakham: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, $916 in Maha Sarakham – roughly 57% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,158 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,374 in Maha Sarakham. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Maha Sarakham, 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $27.00 in Maha Sarakham. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 18% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Maha Sarakham, where all-in costs run around $916, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,438. In Maha Sarakham it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $916 in Maha Sarakham to $1,438 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 Maha Sarakham. 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.