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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $457 in Thimphu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $749 in Thimphu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,041 in Thimphu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 208% more expensive than in Thimphu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Thimphu is 66% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$2.96 BTN 250

16.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$17.68 BTN 1,492

82.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$3.43 BTN 290

41.11%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$1.42 BTN 120

93.66%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$0.49 BTN 41.27

181.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$0.15 BTN 12.46

400.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.85 BTN 241

4.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$2.27 BTN 192

69.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$0.80 BTN 67.4

117.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.95 BTN 80.3

158.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$0.68 BTN 57.8

72.06%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$2.05 BTN 173

18.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$3.34 BTN 282

334.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$3.82 BTN 322

13.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$4.41 BTN 372

171.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$2.50 BTN 211

48.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.46 BTN 123

11.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.89 BTN 160

44.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$0.77 BTN 65.0

190.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.50 BTN 42.01

284.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.58 BTN 48.64

293.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.46 BTN 38.59

130.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.34 BTN 28.92

111.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$3.71 BTN 313

-11.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$3.23 BTN 273

617.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$0.63 BTN 53.0

341.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.08 BTN 91.0

152.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$1.78 BTN 150

-84.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$4.07 BTN 343

99.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.88 BTN 74.5

-45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$2.34 BTN 198

-82.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$0.17 BTN 14.64

3558.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$0.91 BTN 77.1

-10.99%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$23.57 BTN 1,989

232.41%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$38.26 BTN 3,229

-89.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$26.70 BTN 2,254

-8.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$48.96 BTN 4,133

101.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$7.69 BTN 649

-17.56%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$3.58 BTN 302

11.45%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$241 BTN 20.3K

26.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$660 BTN 55.7K

906.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$9.14 BTN 772

492.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$11.54 BTN 974

227.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$32.39 BTN 2,734

168.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$31.64 BTN 2,671

141.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$114 BTN 9,634

769.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$61.9 BTN 5,224

987.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$198 BTN 16.7K

1603.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$139 BTN 11.7K

1373.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$6,611 BTN 558.1K

-57.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$391 BTN 33.0K

469.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$352 BTN 29.7K

-52.59%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Thimphu: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $114 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $18.00 in Thimphu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 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 208% in total monthly costs ($1,408 vs $457 including rent). Thimphu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 111% lower in Thimphu. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $114 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $457 in Thimphu – a 208% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $457 in Thimphu versus $1,408 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 208% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.