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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,023 in Gisborne versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,094 in Gisborne versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,165 in Gisborne versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Gisborne is roughly 48% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gisborne 48% above, Ubud, Bali 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$28.32 NZ$49.50

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

723.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$55.8 NZ$97.5

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

53.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.80 NZ$15.38

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

54.12%

Cappuccino

$3.62 NZ$6.34

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

35.58%

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

$2.13 NZ$3.72

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

21.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 NZ$3.62

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

137.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.51 NZ$11.38

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

120.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.74 NZ$10.04

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

26.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 NZ$3.13

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

10.49%

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 NZ$3.49

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-14.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.12

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

60.36%

Eggs

$5.86 NZ$10.24

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

166.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.37 NZ$14.64

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-52.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.79 NZ$17.12

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

138.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.72 NZ$25.73

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

20.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.80 NZ$4.90

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-24.53%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 NZ$3.91

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

40.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.41

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

35.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.18 NZ$9.05

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

165.64%

Potato (1kg)

$2.11 NZ$3.68

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

10.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.51 NZ$2.64

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-35.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 NZ$3.47

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

97.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 NZ$1.92

$0.55 Rp 9,773

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.80 NZ$45.10

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

1056.95%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.34 NZ$16.33

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-59.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 NZ$4.65

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

9.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 NZ$6.34

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

21.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.58 NZ$2.77

$0.27 Rp 4,814

485.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$91.5 NZ$160

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

918.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.02 NZ$3.52

$0.48 Rp 8,566

320.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 NZ$2.85

$0.43 Rp 7,679

279.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$33.59 NZ$58.7

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

495.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.14 NZ$3.74

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

167.50%

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

$28.2K NZ$49.4K

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

13.22%

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

$27.2K NZ$47.6K

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

-14.13%

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

$115 NZ$201

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

41.08%

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

$32.85 NZ$57.4

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

406.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.0 NZ$103

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

214.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.20 NZ$66.8

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-32.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$10.93 NZ$19.10

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

140.75%

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

$669 NZ$1,169

$481 Rp 8.5M

39.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K NZ$25.4K

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

154.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$64.8 NZ$113

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

42.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.42 NZ$61.9

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

-1.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 NZ$183

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

30.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$116 NZ$203

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

47.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,037 NZ$1,813

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-6.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$911 NZ$1,592

$698 Rp 12.4M

30.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,449 NZ$2,533

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-60.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,690 NZ$2,955

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-2.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,196 NZ$9,084

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

86.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,610 NZ$6,311

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

57.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,247 NZ$7,425

$168 Rp 3.0M

2428.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

13.78

-60.81%

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

Last update for Gisborne: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,037 in Gisborne and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gisborne pays 2428% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $56.0 in Gisborne vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $322 vs $295 per month, with Ubud, Bali 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

Gisborne vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 2428% higher in Gisborne, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,037 in Gisborne versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $2,023 per month in Gisborne versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 918% less than in Gisborne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,023 in Gisborne, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Gisborne. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Gisborne, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Gisborne and Ubud, Bali 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Gisborne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.