Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Surat Thani Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Surat Thani

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $806 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,435 in Surat Thani, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,063 in Surat Thani, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 73% more than Surat Thani, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Surat Thani is 41% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$1.94 ฿63.9

73.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$18.12 ฿596

112.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$4.48 ฿147

23.21%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$1.52 ฿49.93

73.68%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$0.48 ฿15.69

247.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.30 ฿9.85

156.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$2.51 ฿82.6

4.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$3.74 ฿123

14.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.84 ฿60.6

-15.76%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$1.22 ฿39.99

81.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$1.21 ฿39.67

-6.61%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$1.95 ฿64.0

7.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$19.59 ฿644

-11.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$3.53 ฿116

9.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$7.72 ฿254

62.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$2.93 ฿96.4

23.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$1.65 ฿54.2

-5.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$1.79 ฿58.8

31.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$2.20 ฿72.3

-6.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$1.34 ฿44.19

41.79%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$1.41 ฿46.45

65.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.15 ฿37.75

-10.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$0.41 ฿13.49

34.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$3.04 ฿99.8

-25.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$19.08 ฿628

24.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$1.57 ฿51.5

47.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$1.79 ฿58.9

56.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$1.08 ฿35.58

-75.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

$21.27 ฿699

-59.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$1.19 ฿39.24

-59.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

$0.63 ฿20.82

-28.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$3.62 ฿119

58.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.25 ฿41.17

-39.20%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

$27.0K ฿888.9K

-9.44%

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$27.7K ฿909.4K

16.14%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$76.1 ฿2,502

9.80%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$11.50 ฿378

-43.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$17.44 ฿573

8.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$48.94 ฿1,609

14.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

$14.57 ฿479

27.80%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$4.55 ฿150

-5.93%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$574 ฿18.9K

-15.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

$11.7K ฿385.0K

-49.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$65.0 ฿2,138

-29.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$29.70 ฿976

22.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$97.6 ฿3,208

-16.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$88.8 ฿2,920

-9.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$241 ฿7,926

363.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$152 ฿5,002

360.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$1,240 ฿40.8K

185.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$715 ฿23.5K

146.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

$2,026 ฿66.6K

39.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

$1,621 ฿53.3K

41.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

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: August 31, 2026

Last update for Surat Thani: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $241 in Surat Thani. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $18.00 in Surat Thani. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $251 – making Surat Thani 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 Surat Thani: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, $806 in Surat Thani – roughly 73% apart. Ubud, Bali costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,209 in Surat Thani. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surat Thani, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $487 per month in Ubud, Bali and $574 in Surat Thani. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surat Thani, where all-in costs run around $806, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. In Surat Thani 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 $806 in Surat Thani to $1,396 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 Surat Thani. 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.