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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $840 in Songkhla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,358 in Songkhla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,875 in Songkhla.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 64% more expensive than in Songkhla, driven mainly by Getting Around.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Songkhla is 39% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$1.78 ฿58.7

87.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$22.16 ฿732

61.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$4.93 ฿163

14.20%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$1.59 ฿52.7

77.36%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$0.68 ฿22.59

157.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$0.23 ฿7.58

247.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$1.86 ฿61.4

63.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$4.90 ฿162

-12.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.63 ฿53.9

-1.23%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$0.93 ฿30.72

144.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$1.77 ฿58.6

-33.90%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$1.41 ฿46.53

53.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$16.37 ฿541

7.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$2.62 ฿86.5

54.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$10.37 ฿343

17.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$3.14 ฿104

15.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$1.80 ฿59.5

-8.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.16 ฿71.4

6.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$1.29 ฿42.51

51.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$1.52 ฿50.1

21.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$1.74 ฿57.6

36.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$1.13 ฿37.31

-7.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$0.97 ฿31.97

-44.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$4.48 ฿148

-48.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$13.77 ฿455

67.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.58 ฿52.3

48.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$4.68 ฿155

-34.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$0.95 ฿31.41

-73.68%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$62.0 ฿2,049

-84.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$1.27 ฿41.86

-61.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$0.78 ฿25.79

-39.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$3.96 ฿131

41.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.23 ฿40.54

-34.15%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$27.1K ฿893.9K

-7.55%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$31.8K ฿1.1M

-2.42%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$87.3 ฿2,883

-5.19%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$12.89 ฿426

-49.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$18.38 ฿607

2.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$48.44 ฿1,601

14.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$14.70 ฿486

23.88%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$6.06 ฿200

-29.04%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$566 ฿18.7K

-12.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$10.8K ฿358.5K

-45.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$52.4 ฿1,731

-11.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$34.24 ฿1,131

6.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$68.8 ฿2,273

17.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$77.3 ฿2,555

1.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$246 ฿8,114

353.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$177 ฿5,846

291.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$603 ฿19.9K

503.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$426 ฿14.1K

302.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$2,124 ฿70.2K

29.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$1,581 ฿52.2K

45.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$801 ฿26.5K

-79.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

9.33

47.70%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Songkhla: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $246 in Songkhla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Songkhla pays 380% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $22.00 in Songkhla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $242 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 64% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $840 including rent). Songkhla is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 380% lower in Songkhla. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $246 in Songkhla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $840 in Songkhla – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Songkhla runs roughly 558% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $840 in Songkhla versus $1,378 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 64% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.