Cost of Living Comparison Between Nuku'alofa and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Nuku'alofa and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,013 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,825 in Nuku'alofa versus $2,557 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,638 in Nuku'alofa versus $3,723 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Nuku'alofa costs roughly 27% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nuku'alofa is 24% below, Ubud, Bali is 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 TOP 19.99

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

137.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.9 TOP 146

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

91.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.49 TOP 24.76

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

109.38%

Cappuccino

$2.95 TOP 6.97

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

4.61%

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

$2.89 TOP 6.81

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

114.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 TOP 5.75

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

234.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.37 TOP 7.96

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

15.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.94 TOP 11.66

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

25.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 TOP 3.65

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

-13.48%

White Bread (500g)

$1.06 TOP 2.51

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

-56.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.09 TOP 4.93

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

81.74%

Eggs

$5.12 TOP 12.10

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

112.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.08 TOP 21.43

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

-36.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.90 TOP 13.93

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

40.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.51 TOP 17.73

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

-37.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.85 TOP 6.73

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

-21.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.72 TOP 6.41

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

73.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.88 TOP 6.80

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

3.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.63 TOP 8.57

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

62.05%

Potato (1kg)

$3.13 TOP 7.39

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

58.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.67 TOP 6.31

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

17.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.27 TOP 5.36

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

116.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 TOP 3.32

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

78.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.98 TOP 23.57

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

212.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.96 TOP 40.05

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

-27.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.23 TOP 7.63

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

11.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 TOP 7.63

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

17.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 TOP 4.83

$0.27 Rp 4,821

659.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.31 TOP 99.9

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

405.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.04 TOP 4.81

$0.45 Rp 8,180

353.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,311

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.83 TOP 98.8

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

589.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 TOP 3.32

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

63.95%

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

$5,775 TOP 13.6K

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

-78.28%

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

$8,393 TOP 19.8K

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

-74.21%

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

$190 TOP 448

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

139.90%

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

$21.78 TOP 51.4

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

432.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$124 TOP 294

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

421.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.62 TOP 72.3

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-69.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.94 TOP 99.0

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

560.47%

Cinema Ticket

$42.06 TOP 99.3

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

948.88%

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

$159 TOP 376

$297 Rp 5.4M

-46.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$254 TOP 600

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

-96.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.33 TOP 33.83

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

-73.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.68 TOP 41.73

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

-53.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.42 TOP 48.21

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-76.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.01 TOP 68.5

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-62.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$619 TOP 1,461

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-39.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$680 Rp 12.3M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$817 TOP 1,928

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

-76.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$544 TOP 1,284

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

-73.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$409 TOP 965

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

-85.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$245 TOP 580

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

-89.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$695 TOP 1,641

$164 Rp 3.0M

324.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Nuku'alofa: July 25, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $619 in Nuku'alofa and $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nuku'alofa pays 325% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $62.0 in Nuku'alofa vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $292 vs $298, with Nuku'alofa cheaper for home cooking.

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

Nuku'alofa vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nuku'alofa and Ubud, Bali differ by about 37% in total monthly costs ($1,013 vs $1,392 including rent). Nuku'alofa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 325% higher in Nuku'alofa, 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: $619 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,020 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nuku'alofa – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,013 per month in Nuku'alofa versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali – a 37% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,013 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nuku'alofa but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Nuku'alofa the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Nuku'alofa 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 Nuku'alofa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.