Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nakhon Ratchasima Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nakhon Ratchasima

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $799 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,294 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,788 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 72% more expensive than in Nakhon Ratchasima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Nakhon Ratchasima is 42% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$3.00 ฿98.6

11.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 631.0K

$26.55 ฿873

34.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.2K

$6.38 ฿210

-11.76%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.01 ฿66.0

40.30%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.55 ฿18.08

218.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.30 ฿9.81

166.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.87 ฿61.6

62.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$2.76 ฿90.9

55.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.69 ฿55.7

-4.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 40.0K

$1.30 ฿42.87

74.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.28 ฿42.14

-8.59%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.54 ฿50.5

40.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.6K

$15.68 ฿516

12.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$2.71 ฿89.2

49.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.6K

$10.30 ฿339

18.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.29 ฿108

10.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.28 ฿42.13

28.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$1.97 ฿64.8

17.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$2.02 ฿66.6

-2.97%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.21 ฿39.85

52.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.8K

$1.06 ฿34.74

123.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.30 ฿42.82

-19.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,564

$0.36 ฿11.80

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$2.83 ฿93.0

-18.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.5K

$18.13 ฿596

27.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.68 ฿55.3

39.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$3.03 ฿99.5

1.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,366

$0.48 ฿15.82

-47.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$19.78 ฿650

-52.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,635

$1.03 ฿33.97

-52.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,352

$1.15 ฿37.97

-59.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.7K

$7.42 ฿244

-24.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.36 ฿44.86

-40.44%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.5M

$46.0K ฿1.5M

-45.63%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.2M

$27.3K ฿898.7K

13.66%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$89.9 ฿2,955

-7.96%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.3K

$11.69 ฿384

-44.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 331.0K

$19.68 ฿647

-4.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 973.0K

$48.99 ฿1,611

12.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.8K

$15.40 ฿506

18.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.93 ฿162

-12.78%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$180 ฿5,914

174.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$14.9K ฿489.1K

-60.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 815.2K

$52.3 ฿1,719

-11.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.9K

$30.02 ฿987

21.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$79.9 ฿2,626

1.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$68.2 ฿2,242

15.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$220 ฿7,242

405.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$162 ฿5,326

327.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$502 ฿16.5K

624.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.2M

$425 ฿14.0K

302.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$3,331 ฿109.5K

-17.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,761 ฿57.9K

30.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$625 ฿20.6K

-73.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.1

170.20%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Ratchasima: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $220 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nakhon Ratchasima pays 274% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $27.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $241 per month, with Nakhon Ratchasima cheaper across the board.

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 Nakhon Ratchasima: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Nakhon Ratchasima differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $799 including rent). Nakhon Ratchasima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 274% lower in Nakhon Ratchasima. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $220 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Nakhon Ratchasima – a meal for two runs $27.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $799 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nakhon Ratchasima but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Nakhon Ratchasima the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Nakhon Ratchasima are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Nakhon Ratchasima gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.