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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $878 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,396 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,914 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 56% more than Sakon Nakhon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Sakon Nakhon is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$1.55 ฿51.6

121.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$15.31 ฿509

137.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$3.03 ฿101

88.45%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$1.48 ฿49.06

80.41%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$0.74 ฿24.66

136.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.27 ฿9.03

222.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$2.12 ฿70.6

39.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$2.09 ฿69.5

116.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.48 ฿82.5

-34.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.33 ฿44.32

75.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.55 ฿51.4

-28.39%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$2.12 ฿70.5

3.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$10.80 ฿359

63.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$2.49 ฿82.9

64.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

$10.38 ฿345

17.34%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$3.21 ฿107

15.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.23 ฿40.75

29.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$2.14 ฿71.3

6.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.92 ฿64.0

1.56%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.47 ฿48.80

29.93%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$1.45 ฿48.22

60.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.51 ฿16.96

98.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$0.49 ฿16.32

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$4.29 ฿142

-48.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$16.37 ฿544

40.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.69 ฿56.2

43.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$2.78 ฿92.3

7.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

$0.89 ฿29.63

-69.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$1.54 ฿51.0

-68.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$1.02 ฿34.03

-57.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$4.71 ฿157

19.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.33 ฿44.23

-39.85%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$26.8K ฿892.2K

-7.03%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$30.2K ฿1.0M

5.00%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$83.0 ฿2,761

-1.90%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$9.96 ฿331

-34.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$15.87 ฿528

18.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$46.66 ฿1,551

21.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

$14.00 ฿466

33.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$3.70 ฿123

22.70%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$487 ฿16.2K

-1.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

$9,693 ฿322.3K

-41.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$19.92 ฿662

128.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$6.89 ฿229

420.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$122 ฿4,067

-34.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$74.1 ฿2,465

6.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$450 ฿15.0K

147.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$299 ฿9,927

133.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$1,216 ฿40.4K

199.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$646 ฿21.5K

169.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$1,882 ฿62.6K

47.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$1,761 ฿58.6K

30.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$745 ฿24.8K

-77.46%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Sakon Nakhon: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $450 in Sakon Nakhon. 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 344% higher in Sakon Nakhon, 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $15.00 in Sakon Nakhon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $232 – making Sakon Nakhon 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 Sakon Nakhon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, $878 in Sakon Nakhon – roughly 56% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,316 in Sakon Nakhon. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sakon Nakhon, 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 $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $878 in Sakon Nakhon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $481 per month in Ubud, Bali and $487 in Sakon Nakhon. 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 Sakon Nakhon, where all-in costs run around $878, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Sakon Nakhon 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 $878 in Sakon Nakhon to $1,368 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 Sakon Nakhon. 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.