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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $755 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,242 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,730 in Nakhon Ratchasima.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 86% more expensive than in Nakhon Ratchasima, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Nakhon Ratchasima is 43% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$2.98 ฿100

15.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$27.63 ฿930

17.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$6.12 ฿206

-20.92%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.06 ฿69.4

33.50%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.56 ฿18.81

146.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.35 ฿11.73

114.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$1.84 ฿61.9

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.42 ฿81.4

59.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.71 ฿57.5

1.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.30 ฿43.87

89.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.27 ฿42.63

-7.87%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$1.50 ฿50.5

62.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$15.38 ฿518

-5.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$3.28 ฿110

32.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$11.32 ฿381

5.83%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$3.35 ฿113

11.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.34 ฿45.21

21.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.91 ฿64.3

43.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$1.40 ฿47.14

60.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$1.52 ฿51.0

26.32%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.20 ฿40.45

90.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.36 ฿45.76

-22.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.35 ฿11.87

105.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$2.92 ฿98.2

12.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$16.66 ฿561

39.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.67 ฿56.2

66.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$2.32 ฿78.0

17.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.45 ฿15.09

-40.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$19.62 ฿660

-58.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$1.07 ฿35.95

-55.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$1.30 ฿43.72

-67.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$7.49 ฿252

-16.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.25 ฿42.01

-35.20%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$82.9K ฿2.8M

-67.88%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$27.4K ฿920.5K

17.68%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$79.7 ฿2,682

-1.71%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$13.86 ฿466

-70.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$18.40 ฿619

32.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$47.93 ฿1,613

105.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$15.47 ฿521

-59.02%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$4.90 ฿165

-18.57%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$183 ฿6,161

66.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$9,343 ฿314.4K

-28.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$29.80 ฿1,003

81.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$19.63 ฿660

92.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$78.5 ฿2,641

10.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$43.80 ฿1,474

74.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$214 ฿7,209

363.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$165 ฿5,566

306.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$498 ฿16.8K

577.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$430 ฿14.5K

377.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$3,400 ฿114.4K

-17.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$1,724 ฿58.0K

29.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$612 ฿20.6K

-72.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.1

160.39%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Ratchasima: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $214 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nakhon Ratchasima pays 267% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $28.00 in Nakhon Ratchasima for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $240 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 86% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $755 including rent). Nakhon Ratchasima is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 267% 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $214 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% 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 $28.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $755 in Nakhon Ratchasima versus $1,408 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 86% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.