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: $1,392 in Ubud, Bali versus $472 in Thika.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,557 in Ubud, Bali versus $791 in Thika.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,723 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,110 in Thika.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 195% more expensive than in Thika, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Thika is 65% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.5K

$5.46 KES 705

-34.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.32 Rp 583.4K

$38.67 KES 4,998

-16.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 Rp 90.4K

$6.85 KES 885

-26.86%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 51.0K

$2.41 KES 311

17.01%

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

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

$0.75 KES 96.6

80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

$0.50 KES 65.0

46.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

$1.65 KES 213

77.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.94 Rp 71.1K

$1.99 KES 257

97.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 Rp 32.1K

$0.87 KES 113

104.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 44.2K

$0.44 KES 56.9

456.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.15 Rp 20.7K

$1.37 KES 177

-16.06%

Eggs

$2.41 Rp 43.6K

$1.35 KES 174

78.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.33 Rp 258.7K

$11.55 KES 1,493

24.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.19 Rp 75.6K

$6.85 KES 885

-38.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 Rp 217.7K

$1.88 KES 243

541.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.64 Rp 65.7K

$3.02 KES 391

20.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

$1.04 KES 134

50.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$2.11 KES 273

32.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

$1.00 KES 129

124.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.98 Rp 35.7K

$1.07 KES 138

85.05%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 41.1K

$1.11 KES 144

105.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 19.0K

$0.65 KES 83.9

61.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.76 KES 98.1

3.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 Rp 57.6K

$2.37 KES 306

34.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 424.1K

$5.67 KES 733

314.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.90 Rp 52.3K

$1.69 KES 218

71.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 Rp 49.7K

$1.98 KES 256

39.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,813

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 151.1K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,167

$1.57 KES 203

-71.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,298

$1.53 KES 197

-69.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 Rp 109.6K

$2.97 KES 384

104.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

$1.05 KES 136

-18.10%

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

$26.6K Rp 480.0M

$22.0K KES 2.8M

20.92%

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

$32.5K Rp 587.6M

$19.9K KES 2.6M

63.82%

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

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

$33.97 KES 4,391

132.62%

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

$4.09 Rp 73.9K

$16.57 KES 2,142

-75.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.85 Rp 430.5K

$39.97 KES 5,166

-40.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 114.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 72.3K

$6.13 KES 793

-34.58%

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

$297 Rp 5.4M

$203 KES 26.3K

46.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,602 Rp 119.2M

$8,150 KES 1.1M

-18.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 964.5K

$18.27 KES 2,362

192.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.11 Rp 688.1K

$24.31 KES 3,142

56.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

$66.4 KES 8,585

33.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

$55.6 KES 7,190

37.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 Rp 62.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,090 Rp 37.7M

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

$613 KES 79.3K

344.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,295 Rp 41.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$164 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.5

15.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Last update for Thika: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $39.00 in Thika. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $174, with Thika cheaper for home cooking.

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, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 195% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,088 in Ubud, Bali and $707 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.

Childcare runs $297 in Ubud, Bali versus $203 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 $39.00 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $472 in Thika versus $1,392 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 195% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.