😐Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $923 in Surin.
😐Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,496 in Surin.
😐Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,069 in Surin.
🌍Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 51% more expensive than in Surin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.
📊The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Surin is 33% below.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Surin
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.37Rp 59.5K
$3.07฿101
9.77%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$38.59Rp 680.4K
$23.55฿774
63.86%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.52Rp 97.3K
$7.76฿255
-28.87%
Cappuccino
$2.64Rp 46.6K
$2.12฿69.8
24.53%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67Rp 29.5K
$0.70฿22.87
138.57%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77Rp 13.6K
$0.32฿10.64
140.63%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$2.63Rp 46.4K
$2.10฿68.9
25.24%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.28Rp 75.5K
$3.01฿99.0
42.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Surin
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.55Rp 27.3K
$1.88฿61.9
-17.55%
White Bread(500g)
$2.22Rp 39.2K
$1.44฿47.35
54.17%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.13Rp 19.8K
$1.26฿41.32
-10.32%
Eggs
$2.09Rp 36.8K
$2.20฿72.4
-5.00%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$17.39Rp 306.7K
$16.38฿538
6.17%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.87Rp 68.2K
$2.85฿93.6
35.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$12.55Rp 221.3K
$10.98฿361
14.30%
Apples(1kg)
$3.62Rp 63.8K
$3.21฿106
12.77%
Banana(1kg)
$1.56Rp 27.5K
$1.12฿36.86
39.29%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.35Rp 41.5K
$2.29฿75.3
2.62%
Tomato(1kg)
$2.06Rp 36.2K
$1.69฿55.6
21.89%
Potato(1kg)
$1.90Rp 33.5K
$1.50฿49.20
26.67%
Onion(1kg)
$2.34Rp 41.2K
$1.18฿38.65
98.31%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.03Rp 18.2K
$1.11฿36.39
-7.21%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.55Rp 9,781
$0.54฿17.65
1.85%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.25Rp 39.7K
$4.40฿145
-48.86%
Wine(Bottle)
$23.81Rp 419.8K
$15.48฿509
53.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.31Rp 40.8K
$1.70฿55.7
35.88%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.80Rp 49.4K
$2.86฿94.0
-2.10%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Surin
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.27Rp 4,803
$0.90฿29.74
-70.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$8.66Rp 152.7K
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$0.48Rp 8,490
$1.24฿40.63
-61.29%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.45Rp 7,865
$1.12฿36.80
-59.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$5.72Rp 100.8K
$3.99฿131
43.36%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$0.76Rp 13.4K
$1.45฿47.60
-47.59%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.5KRp 431.7M
$24.7K฿811.5K
-0.84%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.1KRp 566.4M
$27.4K฿901.5K
17.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Surin
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$83.6Rp 1.5M
$83.7฿2,750
-0.13%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.46Rp 113.8K
$12.57฿413
-48.61%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.99Rp 334.9K
$19.77฿650
-3.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Surin
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$56.0Rp 987.0K
$47.45฿1,560
17.96%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.62Rp 328.3K
$14.17฿466
31.40%
Cinema Ticket
$4.28Rp 75.5K
$6.79฿223
-36.97%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Surin
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$487Rp 8.6M
$561฿18.4K
-13.32%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$5,856Rp 103.3M
$11.3K฿370.9K
-48.11%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Surin
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.56Rp 803.3K
$52.4฿1,722
-13.02%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.38Rp 641.5K
$30.52฿1,003
19.20%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$82.0Rp 1.4M
$76.9฿2,526
6.64%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.4Rp 1.4M
$77.0฿2,532
4.39%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Surin
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,117Rp 19.7M
$465฿15.3K
139.88%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$701Rp 12.4M
$291฿9,564
140.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$3,537Rp 62.4M
$1,263฿41.5K
180.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,762Rp 31.1M
$702฿23.1K
151.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$2,826Rp 49.8M
$1,961฿64.5K
44.09%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,292Rp 40.4M
$1,634฿53.7K
40.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Surin
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$170Rp 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 Surin: August 29, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $465 in Surin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.
🛒Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $24.00 in Surin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $247 per month, with Surin 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 Surin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Surin?
Surin wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Surin the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ubud, Bali and in Surin?
You'd need roughly $2,095 in Ubud, Bali and $1,384 in Surin to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali compared to Surin?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $465 in Surin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or in Surin?
Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Ubud, Bali compared to Surin?
All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $923 in Surin – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Surin?
At $923 in Surin versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Surin but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Surin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Surin?
Both work as nomad bases, but Surin delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $923 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Surin hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Surin?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Surin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Surin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.
Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared