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: $1,998 in Gisborne versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,928 in Gisborne versus $2,582 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,857 in Gisborne versus $3,757 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Gisborne is roughly 42% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Gisborne 49% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.32 NZ$25.88

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

347.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.1 NZ$134

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

139.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.45 NZ$15.97

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

86.02%

Cappuccino

$3.38 NZ$5.72

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

19.86%

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

$2.35 NZ$3.97

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

71.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.10 NZ$3.54

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

195.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.43 NZ$12.56

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

150.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.43 NZ$10.87

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

64.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 NZ$3.18

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 NZ$3.26

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

-23.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.87 NZ$3.16

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

54.55%

Eggs

$6.22 NZ$10.51

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

166.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.24 NZ$13.92

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

-43.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.41 NZ$15.91

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

115.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.98 NZ$21.94

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

7.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.81 NZ$4.75

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

-26.44%

Banana (1kg)

$2.28 NZ$3.85

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

41.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.97 NZ$5.03

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

10.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 NZ$7.59

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

101.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.49

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

8.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.94 NZ$3.28

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

-11.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 NZ$3.67

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

110.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.87

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

44.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.80 NZ$40.23

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

648.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.46 NZ$14.30

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

-63.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 NZ$4.42

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

-8.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 NZ$6.26

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

36.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.10 NZ$3.55

$0.29 Rp 5,022

624.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.9 NZ$110

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

669.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.66 NZ$4.50

$0.49 Rp 8,344

442.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.85 NZ$3.13

$0.45 Rp 7,812

311.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.00 NZ$59.2

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

457.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 NZ$2.83

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

97.65%

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

$27.8K NZ$47.0K

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

6.76%

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

$22.5K NZ$38.1K

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

-28.51%

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

$144 NZ$243

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

79.92%

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

$36.23 NZ$61.2

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

785.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.8 NZ$87.5

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

115.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.96 NZ$62.5

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

-61.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.26 NZ$20.72

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

87.75%

Cinema Ticket

$10.91 NZ$18.44

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

164.16%

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

$724 NZ$1,224

$297 Rp 5.1M

144.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.0K NZ$20.2K

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

79.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.8 NZ$115

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

23.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.04 NZ$62.6

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

-4.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.0 NZ$161

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

6.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$117 NZ$197

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

48.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$954 NZ$1,613

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

-6.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$860 NZ$1,454

$660 Rp 11.3M

30.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,425 NZ$2,408

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

-58.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,335 NZ$2,256

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

-34.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,373 NZ$7,391

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

46.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,442 NZ$5,817

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

45.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,434 NZ$7,494

$172 Rp 3.0M

2477.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

13.28

-49.25%

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

Last update for Gisborne: April 21, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $954 in Gisborne and $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gisborne pays 2477% 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: $79 in Gisborne vs $33 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $313 vs $299 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 Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Gisborne pays 2477% more on average, 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: $954 in Gisborne versus $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,998 per month in Gisborne versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 669% less than in Gisborne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,998 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 42% less than in Gisborne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.