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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $523 in Thimphu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $802 in Thimphu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,082 in Thimphu.

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$2.60 BTN 220

32.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$14.08 BTN 1,189

157.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$3.65 BTN 308

56.44%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$1.34 BTN 113

99.25%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$0.53 BTN 44.35

230.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.17 BTN 14.38

411.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$2.55 BTN 216

15.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$2.16 BTN 183

109.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$0.84 BTN 71.0

92.86%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.06 BTN 89.5

119.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.01 BTN 85.3

9.90%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.95 BTN 165

12.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$3.84 BTN 324

360.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$4.13 BTN 348

-0.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$4.07 BTN 343

199.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.58 BTN 218

43.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.52 BTN 129

4.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$1.66 BTN 140

37.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$0.79 BTN 66.5

146.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$0.57 BTN 48.00

235.09%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$0.66 BTN 55.4

253.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.36 BTN 30.69

180.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.31 BTN 26.37

77.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$3.83 BTN 324

-41.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$2.80 BTN 236

723.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$0.64 BTN 53.7

278.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.40 BTN 118

114.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.78 BTN 65.4

-65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$5.10 BTN 431

76.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$0.81 BTN 68.3

-40.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.61 BTN 136

-73.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$0.16 BTN 13.42

3425.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$0.77 BTN 64.8

3.90%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$16.6K BTN 1.4M

50.19%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$15.4K BTN 1.3M

105.59%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$35.36 BTN 2,985

130.37%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$36.45 BTN 3,077

-82.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$24.89 BTN 2,101

-24.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$47.12 BTN 3,978

20.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$7.70 BTN 650

143.25%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$3.13 BTN 264

45.05%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$45.00 BTN 3,799

968.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$578 BTN 48.8K

888.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$49.28 BTN 4,160

-7.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$24.81 BTN 2,094

44.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$69.0 BTN 5,827

16.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$14.21 BTN 1,200

453.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$129 BTN 10.9K

762.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$86.4 BTN 7,290

707.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$194 BTN 16.4K

1772.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$157 BTN 13.3K

1003.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$6,694 BTN 565.1K

-58.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$387 BTN 32.7K

491.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$350 BTN 29.5K

-51.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Thimphu: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $129 in Thimphu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Thimphu pays 108% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $14.00 in Thimphu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $128 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 161% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $523 including rent). Thimphu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 108% 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $129 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 $14.00 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $523 in Thimphu – a 161% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $523 in Thimphu versus $1,368 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 161% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.