Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Songkhla Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Songkhla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $812 in Songkhla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,277 in Songkhla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,743 in Songkhla.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 75% more expensive than Songkhla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Songkhla is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$1.65 ฿53.9

115.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$18.35 ฿600

78.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$3.36 ฿110

47.32%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$1.46 ฿47.74

85.62%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$0.68 ฿22.38

97.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.35 ฿11.29

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$2.20 ฿71.8

32.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$3.42 ฿112

15.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.58 ฿51.8

14.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$0.89 ฿29.02

183.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$2.12 ฿69.3

-45.28%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.63 ฿53.2

50.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$16.33 ฿534

-9.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$2.70 ฿88.2

60.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$10.46 ฿342

16.06%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$2.52 ฿82.3

52.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$1.81 ฿59.2

-13.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$1.25 ฿40.81

126.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$1.30 ฿42.45

79.23%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.57 ฿51.3

21.66%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.77 ฿57.9

24.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.51 ฿49.20

-33.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$0.91 ฿29.79

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$4.41 ฿144

-24.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$13.62 ฿445

74.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$1.60 ฿52.4

74.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$4.69 ฿153

-39.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.88 ฿28.64

-69.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$61.8 ฿2,019

-87.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$1.27 ฿41.40

-63.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$0.75 ฿24.49

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$9.27 ฿303

-34.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.35 ฿44.01

-41.48%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$28.2K ฿921.5K

-7.23%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$36.5K ฿1.2M

-11.95%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$89.4 ฿2,921

-10.54%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$12.76 ฿417

-68.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$18.48 ฿604

27.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$49.83 ฿1,629

98.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$1.81 ฿59.1

266.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$5.43 ฿178

-23.57%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$123 ฿4,033

146.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$9,497 ฿310.5K

-30.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$31.34 ฿1,025

77.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$34.98 ฿1,144

9.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$99.4 ฿3,249

-10.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$21.75 ฿711

258.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$277 ฿9,041

263.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$180 ฿5,894

274.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$594 ฿19.4K

479.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$426 ฿13.9K

378.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

$1,766 ฿57.7K

60.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

$1,319 ฿43.1K

71.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$829 ฿27.1K

-80.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

9.33

42.34%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Songkhla: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $277 in Songkhla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Songkhla pays 402% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $18.00 in Songkhla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $238 per month, with Songkhla cheaper across the board.

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 Songkhla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Songkhla differ by about 75% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $812 including rent). Songkhla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Songkhla earns 402% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $277 in Songkhla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $812 in Songkhla – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Songkhla runs roughly 669% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $812 in Songkhla versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Songkhla but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Songkhla the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Songkhla are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Songkhla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.