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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,395 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,849 in Thompson, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,559 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,821 in Thompson, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,724 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,794 in Thompson, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 25% cheaper than Thompson, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Thompson sit above the global median โ€“ Ubud, Bali by 4%, Thompson by 37%.

Currency
๐Ÿฝ Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Thompson
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.42 Rpย 58.6K
$16.72 CA$22.91
-79.55%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$32.96 Rpย 564.9K
$70.1 CA$96.1
-53.00%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.08 Rpย 87.1K
$10.87 CA$14.90
-53.27%
Cappuccino
$2.82 Rpย 48.4K
$3.70 CA$5.08
-23.78%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.37 Rpย 23.5K
$1.99 CA$2.72
-31.16%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.71 Rpย 12.1K
$1.70 CA$2.33
-58.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.97 Rpย 50.8K
$5.49 CA$7.52
-45.90%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.91 Rpย 67.0K
$5.92 CA$8.12
-33.95%
๐Ÿ›’ Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Thompson
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 Rpย 30.0K
$2.20 CA$3.01
-20.45%
White Bread (500g)
$2.52 Rpย 43.1K
$2.61 CA$3.57
-3.45%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.21 Rpย 20.7K
$3.55 CA$4.87
-65.92%
Eggs
$2.33 Rpย 40.0K
$3.40 CA$4.66
-31.47%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$14.50 Rpย 248.4K
$11.17 CA$15.31
29.81%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.36 Rpย 74.7K
$11.77 CA$16.12
-62.96%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.05 Rpย 206.4K
$14.90 CA$20.41
-19.13%
Apples (1kg)
$3.82 Rpย 65.4K
$4.13 CA$5.66
-7.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.61 Rpย 27.6K
$1.36 CA$1.86
18.38%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.70 Rpย 46.3K
$3.65 CA$5.00
-26.03%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.23 Rpย 38.2K
$3.71 CA$5.08
-39.89%
Potato (1kg)
$1.90 Rpย 32.5K
$2.44 CA$3.34
-22.13%
Onion (1kg)
$2.18 Rpย 37.4K
$2.55 CA$3.50
-14.51%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.03 Rpย 17.6K
$2.54 CA$3.49
-59.45%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.77 Rpย 13.2K
$1.77 CA$2.42
-56.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.18 Rpย 54.6K
$13.79 CA$18.89
-76.94%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.23 Rpย 398.0K
$13.23 CA$18.12
75.59%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.85 Rpย 48.8K
$2.95 CA$4.05
-3.39%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.72 Rpย 46.6K
$3.14 CA$4.31
-13.38%
๐ŸšŒ Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Thompson
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 Rpย 5,007
$2.38 CA$3.26
-87.82%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.43 Rpย 144.4K
$63.8 CA$87.3
-86.78%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.49 Rpย 8,320
$3.11 CA$4.25
-84.24%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.45 Rpย 7,789
$1.48 CA$2.03
-69.59%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.28 Rpย 107.5K
$25.52 CA$34.96
-75.39%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.85 Rpย 14.5K
$1.19 CA$1.63
-28.57%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.1K Rpย 446.5M
$25.4K CA$34.8K
2.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.5K Rpย 540.3M
$20.7K CA$28.4K
52.31%
๐Ÿงพ Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Thompson
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$79.8 Rpย 1.4M
$143 CA$196
-44.11%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$4.09 Rpย 70.1K
$43.14 CA$59.1
-90.52%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$24.06 Rpย 412.4K
$62.4 CA$85.5
-61.46%
๐ŸŽ‰ Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Thompson
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$96.2 Rpย 1.6M
$42.34 CA$58.0
127.18%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$6.53 Rpย 111.9K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.13 Rpย 70.9K
$11.63 CA$15.94
-64.49%
๐Ÿงธ Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Thompson
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$297 Rpย 5.1M
$727 CA$996
-59.19%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$6,661 Rpย 114.1M
$11.9K CA$16.3K
-44.02%
๐Ÿ‘•๐Ÿ‘Ÿ Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Thompson
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.0 Rpย 941.8K
$55.3 CA$75.7
-0.56%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$38.75 Rpย 664.1K
$39.28 CA$53.8
-1.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$89.6 Rpย 1.5M
$85.7 CA$117
4.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.9 Rpย 1.4M
$106 CA$146
-25.84%
๐Ÿ  Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Thompson
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,018 Rpย 17.5M
$698 CA$956
45.91%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$660 Rpย 11.3M
$692 CA$948
-4.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,435 Rpย 58.9M
$1,164 CA$1,594
195.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,053 Rpย 35.2M
$1,156 CA$1,584
77.60%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,981 Rpย 51.1M
$5,081 CA$6,962
-41.34%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,368 Rpย 40.6M
$4,200 CA$5,754
-43.63%
๐Ÿ’ต Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Thompson
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$172 Rpย 2.9M
$1,628 CA$2,230
-89.43%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.28
6.46
105.57%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input โ€“ minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for Thompson: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,016 in Ubud, Bali versus $698 in Thompson. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 817% higher in Thompson, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33 in Ubud, Bali versus $70 in Thompson. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $300 vs $366 โ€“ making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Thompson: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Thompson?
Thompson costs about 33% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Ubud, Bali vs Thompson?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,092 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,773 in Thompson. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled โ€“ not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Ubud, Bali or Thompson?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do dining costs compare in Ubud, Bali vs Thompson?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $70.0 in Thompson. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and cafรฉ pricing gap between the two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Ubud, Bali compared to Thompson?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,395 in Ubud, Bali and $1,849 in Thompson. The difference isn't just one category โ€“ it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or Thompson?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,395, than in Thompson at $1,849. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Thompson it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Thompson?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,395 versus $1,849 in Thompson. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Thompson?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison โ€“ central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Ubud, Bali or Thompson?
If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Thompson makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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