Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nong Khai Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nong Khai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $760 in Nong Khai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,400 in Nong Khai, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,040 in Nong Khai, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 87% more than Nong Khai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Nong Khai is 43% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$3.12 ฿102

14.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$26.85 ฿877

21.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$6.37 ฿208

-22.29%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.57 ฿51.2

72.61%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.67 ฿21.82

100.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.35 ฿11.31

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.41 ฿78.8

21.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$3.74 ฿122

5.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.70 ฿55.6

6.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.33 ฿43.47

89.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.27 ฿41.33

-8.66%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.20 ฿71.7

11.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$18.14 ฿592

-18.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$3.06 ฿100

41.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$10.74 ฿351

13.04%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$3.28 ฿107

17.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.22 ฿39.72

27.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.88 ฿61.5

50.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$1.54 ฿50.3

51.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.49 ฿48.51

28.19%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.26 ฿41.00

74.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.97 ฿31.75

4.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.51 ฿16.69

52.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$4.32 ฿141

-23.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$14.14 ฿462

67.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.72 ฿56.1

62.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.78 ฿90.7

2.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.88 ฿28.71

-69.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$1.10 ฿36.00

-58.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.15 ฿37.53

-60.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$6.27 ฿205

-2.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.30 ฿42.38

-39.23%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$27.4K ฿895.6K

-4.64%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$27.5K ฿899.5K

16.62%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$76.0 ฿2,483

5.14%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$13.95 ฿456

-70.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$18.29 ฿597

28.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$49.53 ฿1,618

99.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$11.96 ฿391

-44.57%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$6.93 ฿226

-40.12%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$297 ฿9,697

2.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$9,614 ฿314.0K

-31.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$33.40 ฿1,091

66.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$34.19 ฿1,117

12.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$97.7 ฿3,190

-9.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$71.1 ฿2,322

9.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$415 ฿13.6K

142.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$124 ฿4,056

443.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$805 ฿26.3K

327.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$657 ฿21.4K

210.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$1,875 ฿61.2K

51.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$1,438 ฿47.0K

57.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$463 ฿15.1K

-64.33%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nong Khai: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $415 in Nong Khai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 180% higher in Nong Khai, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $27.00 in Nong Khai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $244 – making Nong Khai 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 Nong Khai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 87%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,140 in Nong Khai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nong Khai, 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 $760 in Nong Khai. 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 $297 in Nong Khai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Nong Khai, where all-in costs run around $760, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. In Nong Khai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nong Khai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Nong Khai. 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.