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: $1,012 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,868 in Nuku'alofa versus $2,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,725 in Nuku'alofa versus $3,275 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 27% below, Ubud, Bali is 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.22 TOP 19.44

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

146.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.9 TOP 146

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

72.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.25 TOP 24.24

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

82.06%

Cappuccino

$2.83 TOP 6.70

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

0.35%

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

$2.88 TOP 6.81

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

64.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 TOP 5.72

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

202.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.28 TOP 7.75

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

7.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.09 TOP 12.04

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

18.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 TOP 3.76

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

-1.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.05 TOP 2.49

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-53.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.12 TOP 5.00

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

81.20%

Eggs

$5.12 TOP 12.10

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

135.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.16 TOP 21.66

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-48.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.03 TOP 14.27

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

48.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.85 TOP 18.55

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

-35.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.79 TOP 6.61

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-22.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.71 TOP 6.42

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

65.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.96 TOP 6.99

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

28.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.79 TOP 8.95

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

93.37%

Potato (1kg)

$3.28 TOP 7.74

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

78.26%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 TOP 6.18

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

10.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.25 TOP 5.32

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

114.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 TOP 3.32

$0.54 Rp 9,560

161.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.30 TOP 24.34

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

347.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.74 TOP 39.58

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-27.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.15 TOP 7.45

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

34.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.39 TOP 8.02

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

10.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.07 TOP 4.88

$0.25 Rp 4,365

728.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.04 TOP 97.0

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

335.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.12 TOP 5.02

$0.49 Rp 8,631

332.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 TOP 4.80

$0.47 Rp 8,349

331.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.09 TOP 99.5

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

651.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 TOP 3.46

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

81.48%

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

$5,752 TOP 13.6K

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

-77.00%

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

$8,336 TOP 19.7K

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

-73.17%

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

$186 TOP 439

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

124.52%

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

$22.42 TOP 53.0

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

245.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 TOP 292

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

556.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.36 TOP 74.2

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-43.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.00 TOP 99.3

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

130.64%

Cinema Ticket

$41.91 TOP 99.1

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

874.65%

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

$156 TOP 368

$494 Rp 8.7M

-68.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$248 TOP 587

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

-95.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.65 TOP 34.63

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

-68.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.94 TOP 42.42

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

-50.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.89 TOP 49.38

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

-74.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.90 TOP 68.3

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

-63.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$611 TOP 1,445

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-45.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$827 TOP 1,956

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-77.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 TOP 1,313

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-67.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$417 TOP 985

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

-84.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$254 TOP 599

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

-88.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$685 TOP 1,620

$167 Rp 2.9M

310.02%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Nuku'alofa: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $611 in Nuku'alofa and $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nuku'alofa pays 310% 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $294 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

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

Nuku'alofa and Ubud, Bali differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,012 vs $1,378 including rent). Nuku'alofa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 310% 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: $611 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,114 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 $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,012 per month in Nuku'alofa versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,012 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,378 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 36% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.