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 $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $884 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,419 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,954 in Sakon Nakhon, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 59% more than Sakon Nakhon, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Sakon Nakhon is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$1.55 ฿52.2

122.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$15.31 ฿515

111.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$3.14 ฿106

54.14%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$1.53 ฿51.3

79.74%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$0.76 ฿25.41

81.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.28 ฿9.48

167.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$2.12 ฿71.4

41.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.19 ฿73.8

75.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$2.55 ฿85.9

-31.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.24 ฿41.67

98.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.26 ฿42.30

-7.14%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$2.28 ฿76.8

6.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$11.33 ฿381

27.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$2.37 ฿79.8

83.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$14.00 ฿471

-14.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$3.21 ฿108

15.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.26 ฿42.39

29.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$2.20 ฿73.9

24.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$2.38 ฿80.0

-5.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$1.44 ฿48.54

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$1.30 ฿43.61

75.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.64 ฿21.63

65.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.47 ฿15.87

53.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$4.43 ฿149

-25.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$16.36 ฿551

41.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.94 ฿65.4

43.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$2.39 ฿80.4

14.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.65 ฿21.79

-58.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$7.56 ฿254

7.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$1.52 ฿51.2

-68.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$1.15 ฿38.62

-63.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$6.33 ฿213

-1.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.29 ฿43.46

-37.21%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$28.1K ฿946.9K

-5.43%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$27.6K ฿928.6K

16.65%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$50.5 ฿1,699

55.21%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$10.13 ฿341

-59.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$16.91 ฿569

43.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$102 ฿3,440

-3.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$12.11 ฿408

-47.65%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$3.65 ฿123

9.32%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$295 ฿9,916

3.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$9,806 ฿330.0K

-32.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$28.92 ฿973

87.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$11.26 ฿379

235.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$91.7 ฿3,085

-5.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$64.0 ฿2,152

19.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$419 ฿14.1K

136.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$286 ฿9,634

134.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$817 ฿27.5K

312.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$655 ฿22.0K

213.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$1,719 ฿57.8K

63.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$1,478 ฿49.7K

50.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$738 ฿24.8K

-77.38%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Sakon Nakhon: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $419 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 342% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $15.00 in Sakon Nakhon. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $247 – 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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, $884 in Sakon Nakhon – roughly 59% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,326 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 $32.00 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 $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $884 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 $884, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. 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 $884 in Sakon Nakhon to $1,408 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.