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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,862 in Thames, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,904 in Thames, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,946 in Thames, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 25% cheaper than Thames, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Thames sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 4%, Thames by 39%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$15.09 NZ$25.76

-76.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$77.9 NZ$133

-58.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$9.90 NZ$16.91

-50.91%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$3.40 NZ$5.81

-19.12%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$2.35 NZ$4.01

-43.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$2.19 NZ$3.73

-68.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$7.20 NZ$12.30

-59.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$7.14 NZ$12.19

-46.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.76 NZ$3.01

-2.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$2.12 NZ$3.62

16.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.96 NZ$3.35

-38.78%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$6.79 NZ$11.59

-64.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$8.84 NZ$15.10

62.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$9.83 NZ$16.79

-56.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$12.80 NZ$21.85

-4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.92 NZ$4.98

26.03%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.20 NZ$3.76

-29.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$3.27 NZ$5.58

-14.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$4.16 NZ$7.10

-43.99%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$2.00 NZ$3.41

-1.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.63 NZ$2.78

41.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.97 NZ$3.36

-46.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.27 NZ$2.18

-42.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$25.54 NZ$43.62

-87.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$9.85 NZ$16.81

131.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$3.08 NZ$5.25

-8.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$3.79 NZ$6.47

-26.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$2.16 NZ$3.69

-86.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$63.0 NZ$108

-87.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$2.06 NZ$3.52

-78.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$2.00 NZ$3.42

-77.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$35.61 NZ$60.8

-82.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.70 NZ$2.90

-50.00%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$28.6K NZ$48.8K

-9.18%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$22.1K NZ$37.8K

43.03%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$143 NZ$243

-43.35%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$29.99 NZ$51.2

-86.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$49.45 NZ$84.4

-50.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$37.47 NZ$64.0

160.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$12.23 NZ$20.88

-47.26%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$15.25 NZ$26.05

-73.51%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$897 NZ$1,531

-66.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$13.5K NZ$23.0K

-50.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$71.2 NZ$122

-23.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$51.0 NZ$87.0

-23.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$99.0 NZ$169

-12.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$126 NZ$215

-39.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$990 NZ$1,690

-0.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$788 NZ$1,346

-16.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$1,573 NZ$2,687

114.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$1,418 NZ$2,421

45.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$4,452 NZ$7,603

-38.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$3,317 NZ$5,664

-32.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.37

108.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Thames: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $990 in Thames. 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $78.0 in Thames. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $297 vs $325 – making Ubud, Bali 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 Thames: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Thames is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,793 in Thames. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $304 per month in Ubud, Bali and $897 in Thames. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Thames, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,404, than in Thames at $1,862. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thames it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ubud, Bali – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

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 Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thames makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.