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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,007 in Nelson versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,033 in Nelson versus $2,549 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,058 in Nelson versus $3,694 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Nelson is roughly 43% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Nelson 49% above, Ubud, Bali 4% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.68 NZ$35.31

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

479.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.0 NZ$143

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

158.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.54 NZ$16.30

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

96.30%

Cappuccino

$3.35 NZ$5.73

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

21.82%

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

$2.56 NZ$4.37

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

93.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.69 NZ$4.60

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

284.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.40 NZ$12.63

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

154.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.13 NZ$10.47

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

61.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 NZ$3.98

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

36.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 NZ$3.79

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-10.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.35 NZ$4.00

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

95.83%

Eggs

$6.19 NZ$10.56

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

153.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 NZ$16.75

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-31.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.15 NZ$13.92

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

89.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.09 NZ$27.47

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

31.78%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 NZ$6.25

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-0.54%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 NZ$4.30

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

62.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.10

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

7.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.48 NZ$11.06

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

178.11%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 NZ$6.40

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

90.36%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 NZ$4.45

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

12.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.55 NZ$4.35

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

140.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.23 NZ$2.09

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

68.49%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$30.09 NZ$51.4

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

817.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.13 NZ$17.29

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-55.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.21 NZ$5.47

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

14.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.44 NZ$7.58

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

59.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.38 NZ$4.06

$0.29 Rp 5,217

720.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.2 NZ$108

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

683.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.19 NZ$7.16

$0.45 Rp 8,047

831.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.84 NZ$3.14

$0.45 Rp 8,094

308.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.22 NZ$60.1

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

464.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.96

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

103.53%

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

$18.3K NZ$31.3K

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

-29.48%

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

$22.1K NZ$37.8K

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

-30.04%

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

$215 NZ$367

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

165.94%

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

$35.34 NZ$60.3

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

770.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.7 NZ$86.7

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

107.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.80 NZ$83.3

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-50.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.26 NZ$36.30

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

229.61%

Cinema Ticket

$10.09 NZ$17.23

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

149.75%

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

$487 NZ$832

$304 Rp 5.4M

60.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K NZ$21.0K

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

85.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.4 NZ$105

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

13.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$66.6 NZ$114

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

71.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$130 NZ$221

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

50.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 NZ$188

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

43.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$995 NZ$1,699

$986 Rp 17.7M

0.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$741 NZ$1,266

$658 Rp 11.8M

12.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,427 NZ$2,436

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-57.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,204 NZ$2,055

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-41.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,771 NZ$6,439

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

37.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,049 NZ$5,206

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

36.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,360 NZ$4,030

$163 Rp 2.9M

1343.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.82

13.28

-48.64%

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

Last update for Nelson: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $995 in Nelson and $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nelson pays 1344% 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: $84.0 in Nelson vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $362 vs $297 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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 43% lower than in Nelson. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Nelson pays 1344% 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: $995 in Nelson versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Nelson. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $84.0 in Nelson. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,007 in Nelson, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Nelson. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,404 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Nelson 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 43% less than in Nelson. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.