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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,061 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,721 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,380 in Nakhon Si Thammarat, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 34% more than Nakhon Si Thammarat, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Nakhon Si Thammarat is 21% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$3.13 ฿102

13.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$46.45 ฿1,517

-29.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$8.71 ฿284

-43.17%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.94 ฿96.1

-7.82%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.70 ฿22.75

91.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.40 ฿12.99

75.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.48 ฿80.8

17.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$3.78 ฿123

4.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$2.18 ฿71.3

-16.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.81 ฿59.2

39.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$2.23 ฿72.9

-47.98%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.26 ฿73.8

8.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$19.79 ฿646

-25.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$3.69 ฿120

17.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$13.27 ฿433

-8.52%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$3.36 ฿110

14.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.61 ฿52.6

-3.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$2.32 ฿75.6

21.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$2.03 ฿66.3

14.78%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.59 ฿51.8

20.13%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.50 ฿49.06

46.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$1.02 ฿33.42

-0.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.48 ฿15.69

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$4.34 ฿142

-23.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$19.25 ฿629

23.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.79 ฿58.5

55.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.78 ฿90.8

2.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.89 ฿29.21

-69.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$1.10 ฿35.85

-58.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.99 ฿32.32

-54.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$14.05 ฿459

-56.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.37 ฿44.70

-42.34%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$28.0K ฿914.6K

-6.62%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$32.9K ฿1.1M

-2.41%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$122 ฿3,969

-34.22%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$13.86 ฿453

-70.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$18.63 ฿608

26.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$48.44 ฿1,582

103.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$12.15 ฿397

-45.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$9.06 ฿296

-54.19%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$702 ฿22.9K

-56.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$15.9K ฿520.4K

-58.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$58.0 ฿1,893

-4.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$34.56 ฿1,129

10.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$114 ฿3,727

-22.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$84.5 ฿2,759

-7.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$425 ฿13.9K

136.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$285 ฿9,315

136.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$809 ฿26.4K

325.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$669 ฿21.8K

205.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$1,752 ฿57.2K

62.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$1,441 ฿47.1K

57.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

5.33

149.16%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nakhon Si Thammarat: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $425 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $46.00 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $292 in Nakhon Si Thammarat – so Nakhon Si Thammarat wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, $1,061 in Nakhon Si Thammarat – roughly 34% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,592 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 $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $1,061 in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $702 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 $1,061, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. 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 $1,061 in Nakhon Si Thammarat to $1,419 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.