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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $523 in Thika.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $879 in Thika.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,235 in Thika.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 161% more expensive than in Thika, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Thika is 62% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$3.54 KES 458

-2.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.5K

$34.10 KES 4,412

6.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.3K

$6.19 KES 801

-7.75%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$1.96 KES 253

36.22%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.1K

$0.32 KES 42.02

446.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.59 KES 76.9

47.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.96 KES 253

50.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$2.18 KES 282

107.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.73 KES 94.6

121.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.48 KES 61.7

385.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.7K

$1.17 KES 151

-5.13%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.1K

$1.36 KES 176

61.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 314.0K

$10.54 KES 1,363

67.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$6.27 KES 811

-34.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.1K

$4.00 KES 517

204.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$1.52 KES 197

144.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$0.64 KES 83.5

148.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$0.79 KES 102

188.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.14 KES 148

71.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$0.38 KES 49.09

402.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.44 KES 57.1

429.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.68 KES 88.1

48.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,795

$0.38 KES 49.12

44.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$2.72 KES 352

-18.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.5K

$5.83 KES 755

295.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$1.82 KES 236

32.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$1.88 KES 243

59.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,825

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,586

$1.58 KES 205

-69.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,697

$0.95 KES 123

-54.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$2.93 KES 379

92.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.38 KES 179

-42.03%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.7M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

13.58%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.8M

$20.3K KES 2.6M

56.10%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$34.61 KES 4,478

135.37%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$15.66 KES 2,026

-58.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.1K

$35.40 KES 4,581

-46.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$46.60 KES 6,029

22.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.4K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$7.63 KES 987

-40.50%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$54.2 KES 7,019

786.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.4M

$3,490 KES 451.6K

63.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.9K

$28.29 KES 3,661

60.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.9K

$28.06 KES 3,631

27.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$71.0 KES 9,183

13.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$19.23 KES 2,489

309.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$99.0 KES 12.8K

1025.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$59.0 KES 7,632

1082.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$275 KES 35.6K

1223.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$175 KES 22.6K

893.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$619 KES 80.1K

349.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

14.71

-6.32%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Thika: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $99.0 in Thika. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Thika for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $151 per month, with Thika 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 Thika: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Thika is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 161% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $785 in Thika 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $99.0 in Thika. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $481 in Ubud, Bali versus $54.2 in Thika. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Thika – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $523 in Thika versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Thika but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Thika the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Thika is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Thika 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 Thika gentler on the wallet – expenses run 161% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.