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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $882 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,427 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,972 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 61% more than Sakon Nakhon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 6% above the global median, while Sakon Nakhon is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$1.52 ฿49.69

134.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$15.15 ฿495

116.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$3.01 ฿98.4

64.45%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.45 ฿47.45

86.90%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.70 ฿22.83

91.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.28 ฿9.15

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.19 ฿71.7

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.17 ฿71.0

82.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$2.56 ฿83.5

-29.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.30 ฿42.38

93.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.27 ฿41.36

-8.66%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.19 ฿71.4

12.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$11.66 ฿381

26.16%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$2.25 ฿73.4

92.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$13.93 ฿455

-12.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$3.13 ฿102

22.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.26 ฿41.03

23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$2.28 ฿74.4

24.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$2.44 ฿79.8

-4.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$1.44 ฿47.07

32.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.29 ฿42.21

70.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.66 ฿21.49

53.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.48 ฿15.64

62.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$4.35 ฿142

-23.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$15.42 ฿503

53.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.94 ฿63.5

43.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$2.47 ฿80.8

15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.63 ฿20.63

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$7.68 ฿251

4.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$1.50 ฿49.09

-69.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.18 ฿38.58

-61.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$6.10 ฿199

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.35 ฿44.06

-41.48%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$27.9K ฿911.2K

-6.27%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$27.5K ฿896.8K

16.98%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$50.3 ฿1,644

58.83%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$10.35 ฿338

-60.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$16.61 ฿543

41.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$103 ฿3,364

-4.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$12.17 ฿398

-45.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$3.72 ฿121

11.56%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$295 ฿9,624

3.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$9,787 ฿319.6K

-32.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$28.94 ฿945

91.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$11.22 ฿367

241.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$92.6 ฿3,023

-4.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$65.4 ฿2,136

19.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$417 ฿13.6K

141.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$288 ฿9,399

134.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$823 ฿26.9K

318.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$649 ฿21.2K

214.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$2,277 ฿74.4K

24.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$1,657 ฿54.1K

36.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$774 ฿25.3K

-78.65%

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 Sakon Nakhon: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $417 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 368% 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $15.00 in Sakon Nakhon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $246 – 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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, $882 in Sakon Nakhon – roughly 61% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,323 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $15.00 in Sakon Nakhon. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $882 in Sakon Nakhon. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sakon Nakhon, where all-in costs run around $882, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,419. 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 $882 in Sakon Nakhon 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 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.