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: $997 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,864 in Nuku'alofa versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,731 in Nuku'alofa versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Nuku'alofa costs roughly 31% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Nuku'alofa is 26% below, Ubud, Bali is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.47 TOP 19.98

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

137.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.2 TOP 144

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

87.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.26 TOP 24.20

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

102.37%

Cappuccino

$2.83 TOP 6.68

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

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

$2.86 TOP 6.75

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

113.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 TOP 5.71

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

250.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.24 TOP 7.64

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

8.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.85 TOP 11.45

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

25.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 TOP 3.75

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

-8.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.07 TOP 2.52

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-57.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.08 TOP 4.91

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

74.79%

Eggs

$5.17 TOP 12.21

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

112.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.10 TOP 21.47

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-37.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.82 TOP 13.75

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

39.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.76 TOP 18.30

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

-35.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.84 TOP 6.71

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

-23.04%

Banana (1kg)

$2.70 TOP 6.37

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

67.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.85 TOP 6.73

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

5.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.83 TOP 9.04

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

64.38%

Potato (1kg)

$3.24 TOP 7.65

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

69.63%

Onion (1kg)

$2.62 TOP 6.18

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

19.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.16 TOP 5.09

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

103.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 TOP 3.35

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

97.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.13 TOP 23.90

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

223.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.85 TOP 39.77

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-28.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.22 TOP 7.61

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

17.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.41 TOP 8.04

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

18.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.04 TOP 4.81

$0.29 Rp 5,010

603.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.19 TOP 97.2

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

404.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 TOP 4.84

$0.45 Rp 7,834

355.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,278

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$41.69 TOP 98.4

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

576.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 TOP 3.38

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

70.24%

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

$5,728 TOP 13.5K

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

-78.17%

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

$8,199 TOP 19.4K

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

-74.75%

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

$190 TOP 448

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

141.90%

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

$21.90 TOP 51.7

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

454.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$123 TOP 289

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

402.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.25 TOP 73.7

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-67.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.47 TOP 97.9

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

553.07%

Cinema Ticket

$42.05 TOP 99.2

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

940.84%

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

$157 TOP 370

$303 Rp 5.2M

-48.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$249 TOP 588

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

-96.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$14.56 TOP 34.36

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

-72.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.82 TOP 42.05

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

-53.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$20.37 TOP 48.08

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-76.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$28.55 TOP 67.4

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-63.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 TOP 1,486

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-37.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.6M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 TOP 1,946

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-75.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 TOP 1,289

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-73.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$416 TOP 982

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

-86.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$252 TOP 595

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

-89.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$677 TOP 1,597

$173 Rp 3.0M

290.79%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $629 in Nuku'alofa and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nuku'alofa pays 291% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $61.0 in Nuku'alofa vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 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 44% in total monthly costs ($997 vs $1,438 including rent). Nuku'alofa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Nuku'alofa pays 291% 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: $629 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,012 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 $61.0 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $997 per month in Nuku'alofa versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali – a 44% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $997 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,438 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 44% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.