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 $1,392 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $905 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,557 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,478 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,723 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,050 in Maha Sarakham, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 54% more than Maha Sarakham, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% 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 64.5K

$3.16 ฿106

12.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$27.03 ฿902

19.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$6.12 ฿204

-18.14%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.00 ฿66.7

41.00%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.67 ฿22.51

101.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.29 ฿9.76

151.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$2.41 ฿80.5

21.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$3.72 ฿124

5.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$1.76 ฿58.8

1.14%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$1.40 ฿46.69

75.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.33 ฿44.31

-13.53%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$2.23 ฿74.2

8.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$18.11 ฿604

-20.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$3.09 ฿103

35.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$10.60 ฿353

13.77%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$3.13 ฿104

16.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.26 ฿42.09

24.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.90 ฿63.5

46.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.59 ฿53.1

40.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.53 ฿51.0

29.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.26 ฿42.19

80.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$1.01 ฿33.82

3.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.51 ฿17.05

54.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$4.42 ฿148

-27.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$20.14 ฿672

16.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.73 ฿57.8

67.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$2.81 ฿93.7

-1.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

$0.91 ฿30.23

-70.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.05 ฿35.13

-57.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.15 ฿38.26

-60.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$6.27 ฿209

-3.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.24 ฿41.24

-30.65%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$27.4K ฿913.4K

-2.90%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$27.8K ฿926.0K

17.26%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$77.5 ฿2,585

2.00%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$13.64 ฿455

-70.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$18.70 ฿624

27.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

$49.80 ฿1,661

98.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

$12.43 ฿415

-48.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$7.12 ฿238

-43.68%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$304 ฿10.2K

-2.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$9,844 ฿328.4K

-32.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$33.93 ฿1,132

57.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$34.79 ฿1,161

9.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$98.6 ฿3,288

-10.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$70.0 ฿2,334

9.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

$419 ฿14.0K

143.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

$284 ฿9,460

139.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

$798 ฿26.6K

334.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

$654 ฿21.8K

219.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$2,200 ฿73.4K

24.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

$1,614 ฿53.8K

42.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 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 28, 2026

Last update for Maha Sarakham: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,020 in Ubud, Bali versus $419 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $27.00 in Maha Sarakham. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $298 vs $258 – 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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, $905 in Maha Sarakham – roughly 54% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,088 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,357 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 $32.00 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 15% 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 $905, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,392. 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 $905 in Maha Sarakham to $1,392 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.