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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $455 in Thimphu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $757 in Thimphu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,059 in Thimphu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 212% more expensive than Thimphu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Thimphu is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$2.93 BTN 248

21.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$17.63 BTN 1,488

85.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$3.47 BTN 293

42.65%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$1.48 BTN 125

83.11%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$0.48 BTN 40.91

179.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$0.17 BTN 14.15

311.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.98 BTN 252

-2.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.30 BTN 194

72.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$0.87 BTN 73.1

108.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$0.95 BTN 79.8

165.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$0.74 BTN 62.5

56.76%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.00 BTN 169

23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$3.24 BTN 273

354.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$3.77 BTN 319

14.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$4.25 BTN 359

185.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.54 BTN 215

51.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.52 BTN 128

2.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.86 BTN 157

52.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$0.73 BTN 61.7

219.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.54 BTN 45.20

253.70%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.62 BTN 52.0

254.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.46 BTN 38.43

119.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.34 BTN 28.88

129.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$3.76 BTN 317

-11.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$3.19 BTN 270

644.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$0.64 BTN 53.8

335.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$1.04 BTN 87.4

175.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$1.71 BTN 144

-84.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$4.10 BTN 346

95.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$0.85 BTN 71.6

-45.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$2.23 BTN 188

-79.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$0.19 BTN 15.82

3110.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$0.97 BTN 82.2

-18.56%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$23.29 BTN 1,966

243.24%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$38.02 BTN 3,209

-89.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$27.34 BTN 2,308

-13.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$48.52 BTN 4,096

103.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$7.60 BTN 642

-12.76%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$3.43 BTN 290

20.99%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$242 BTN 20.4K

25.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$681 BTN 57.4K

871.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$9.13 BTN 771

508.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$11.81 BTN 997

224.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$31.80 BTN 2,685

178.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$31.61 BTN 2,668

146.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$118 BTN 9,925

755.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$63.5 BTN 5,363

962.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$203 BTN 17.1K

1597.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$139 BTN 11.7K

1369.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$6,698 BTN 565.4K

-57.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$390 BTN 33.0K

479.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$349 BTN 29.4K

-52.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

10.75

23.53%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Thimphu: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $118 in Thimphu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thimphu pays 111% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $18.00 in Thimphu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $124 per month, with Thimphu 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 Thimphu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Thimphu differ by about 212% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $455 including rent). Thimphu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Thimphu earns 111% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $118 in Thimphu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Thimphu – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $455 in Thimphu – a 212% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $455 in Thimphu versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Thimphu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Thimphu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Thimphu 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 Thimphu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 212% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.