Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nakhon Si Thammarat Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nakhon Si Thammarat

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,012 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,674 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,275 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,337 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 36% more than Nakhon Si Thammarat, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Nakhon Si Thammarat is 27% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$2.99 ฿98.8

11.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$32.31 ฿1,067

10.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$8.77 ฿290

-35.80%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.89 ฿95.3

-2.42%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.83 ฿27.29

110.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.49 ฿16.09

63.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$2.40 ฿79.1

26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$3.73 ฿123

15.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.90 ฿62.8

-15.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.48 ฿48.88

53.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.55 ฿51.3

-24.52%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$2.14 ฿70.8

1.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$19.99 ฿660

-11.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$3.51 ฿116

15.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$11.15 ฿368

9.24%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.97 ฿98.0

21.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.72 ฿56.7

-4.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.26 ฿74.6

2.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$2.11 ฿69.7

-7.11%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.55 ฿51.1

18.71%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.40 ฿46.16

69.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.15 ฿38.07

-8.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.56 ฿18.50

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.48 ฿148

-48.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$18.87 ฿623

22.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.80 ฿59.5

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$2.82 ฿93.1

8.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.97 ฿31.90

-74.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$2.98 ฿98.5

-83.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$1.09 ฿35.94

-56.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$3.97 ฿131

41.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.43 ฿47.34

-43.36%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$27.8K ฿918.1K

-9.99%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$26.7K ฿883.3K

16.20%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$105 ฿3,474

-21.34%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$11.44 ฿378

-43.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$17.60 ฿581

6.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$42.64 ฿1,409

29.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$15.83 ฿523

15.03%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$7.96 ฿263

-45.98%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$578 ฿19.1K

-14.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$11.8K ฿389.5K

-49.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$63.5 ฿2,099

-27.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$29.07 ฿960

25.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$98.1 ฿3,240

-17.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$89.5 ฿2,956

-11.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$406 ฿13.4K

174.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$347 ฿11.5K

99.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$1,247 ฿41.2K

191.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$743 ฿24.6K

130.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,273 ฿75.1K

21.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,624 ฿53.7K

41.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.57

147.40%

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 Si Thammarat: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $406 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $32.00 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $294 vs $275 – making Nakhon Si Thammarat 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 Nakhon Si Thammarat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, $1,012 in Nakhon Si Thammarat – roughly 36% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,067 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,518 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nakhon Si Thammarat, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,378 in Ubud, Bali and $1,012 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $494 per month in Ubud, Bali and $578 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nakhon Si Thammarat, where all-in costs run around $1,012, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,378. In Nakhon Si Thammarat 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 $1,012 in Nakhon Si Thammarat to $1,378 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 Nakhon Si Thammarat. 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.