Which place is cheaper, Ubud or Pai?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Pai or Ubud?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Pai and Ubud. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.
Where Should I go: Pai or Ubud?
Pai
As the lush green mountains adorn the blue horizon amidst its creamy clouds, Pai, in northern Thailand, works as one of the many hubs for some of the world's most exciting cultural adventures and natural wonders. Within this small town just north of the Mae Hong Son Province, near the Myanmar border, Pai lays on the Pai River and holds a population of no more than 2,500. Despite its geographical insignificance, this town attracts a wide array of tourists. From breathtaking waterfalls to relaxing hot springs, you will find yourself astonished at how much this little city holds within its borders.
Ubud
Made popular by the film Eat Pray Love, Ubud is located in the uplands of Bali, Indonesia. Beautiful Hindu temples and iconic rice fields are the sight to see in this popular cultural, artistic and religious hub on the island.
Though Ubud is hot and humid during the day, it is still cooler than coastal areas. Still, temperatures linger between mid-70's and low 90's year-round, so it is likely you'll experience warm weather, regardless of when you visit.
Ubud's wet season is from November to June, which makes it an unpopular time for travelers. January and February are when Ubud experiences the heaviest rainfall, so it may be wise to avoid visiting at this time, especially since weather will limit activities, bring out insects, and cause landslides and possible flooding.
Dry season runs from July through October, which is high season for travel. Even during dry season, Ubud is extremely humid, so pack lightweight clothing that breathes and lots of sunblock.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best G Adventures Tours to Thailand, The Best 3-Day Tours from Phuket, The Best Romantic Tours for Couples in Indonesia, and The Best Budget Tours to Indonesia.
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Pai Prices
Thailand PricesUbud Prices
Indonesia Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayPai $88Ubud $142
The average daily cost (per person) in Pai is $88, while the average daily cost in Ubud is $142. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Pai and Ubud in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personPai $16Ubud $119
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomPai $32Ubud $238
Compare Hotels in Pai and Ubud
Looking for a hotel in Pai or Ubud? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Pai Hotel Prices and Ubud Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Pai $41Ubud $1.63
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Ubud
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Ubud:
- White Water Rafting Ubud Bali With Hotel Transfer: $30
- Water Rafting With Private Transfer And Lunch: $85
- Ultimate Bali: White Water Rafting, 2-Hour Spa & Free Transfer: $80
- Ayung River Rafting & Jungle Swing Ticket with Transfer: $69
- Ubud to Bali (DPS) Airport Private Transfer: $25
- Ubud White Water Rafting with Meal and Optional Hotel Transfer: $22
- Ubud Transfer Service: $29
- Ubud Rafting Experience with Hotel Transfers and Lunch: $27
- Ubud Incense Class with Optional Transfers and Tours: $30
- Ubud Green Rafting Ticket And Transfer: $27
- Ubud Cultural and Historical Guided Tour with Transfer: $43
- Ubud Countryside Cycling Tour (Included Private Transfer & Lunch): $69
Is it cheaper to fly into Pai or Ubud?
Prices for flights to both Ubud and Pai change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayPai $41Ubud $18
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Ubud
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Ubud.
- Canggu: Drag Show with Dinner: $14
- Ubud Mystic Dinner at Oracle of Spice Lemuria The Lost City: $17
- Ubud Cooking Class with Optional Market Visit Pickup Included: $18
- Full Day Ubud Waterfall Visit and Cooking Experience: $22
- Balinese Cooking Class with Amidst Rice Field View: $25
- Cooking Class and Dinner in Traditional House by Food Lover Tour: $25
- Balinese Ubud cooking school (9 Dish Cooking and Market Tour): $26
- Bali Cooking Class at Balinese Traditional House: $26
- Dance Show + Dinner at Lost City - Story of Humanity: $26
- 8 Hours Private Balinese Cooking Class with Tirta Empul Temple: $28
- Afternoon Cooking Class & Making Bali Offering with Dinner: $29
- Uluwatu, Kecak Fire Dance & Jimbaran Bay Seafood Dinner: $30
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Pai $45Ubud $9.15
Tours and Activities in Ubud
Here are a few actual costs in Ubud for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 1 Day Bali Whole Day Tour 13 to 14 Hours For LIMETED TIME IN BALI: $67
- 1 Day Private Island Tour East Trip Nusa Penida Tour Package: $80
- 1 Day Private Ubud Tour in Ubud All Inclusive: $23
- 1 DayTour Lempuyang temple - Bali: $69
- 1 Hour Mangrove Tour From Lembongan with Kayak, Paddle, or Boat: $10
- 1-Day Ubud Tours All-Inclusive: $40
- 10 Hours Private North Bali Instagram Tour With Photographer: $52
- 2 Days Best of Bali Famous Tour Packages: $135
- 2 Days Experience Bali: Most Popular Tour: $199
- 2 Days Tour in Dolphin Sights and Sacred Sites: $200
- 2 days 1 Night Ijen Creater Blue fire and Sunrise with Bali Tours: $257
- 2-Day Nusa Penida All-Inclusive: Private Tour, Hotel & Meals: $128
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayPai $14Ubud $6.15
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Pai and Ubud, we can see that Ubud is more expensive. And not only is Pai much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Pai would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pai and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Ubud would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Ubud than you might in Pai.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Pai Expensive? and Is Ubud Expensive?.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.