Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Palmerston North and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,662 in Palmerston North versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,665 in Palmerston North versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,668 in Palmerston North versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Palmerston North is roughly 18% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Palmerston North 24% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.84 NZ$28.83

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

388.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.5 NZ$124

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

124.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.04 NZ$20.62

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

148.76%

Cappuccino

$3.41 NZ$5.83

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

24.00%

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

$2.30 NZ$3.93

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

66.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 NZ$3.56

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

177.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.36 NZ$12.59

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

146.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.20 NZ$10.62

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

61.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 NZ$3.29

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

10.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.07 NZ$3.54

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-15.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

54.70%

Eggs

$5.28 NZ$9.03

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

117.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.19 NZ$14.03

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-43.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.27 NZ$15.87

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

113.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.59 NZ$21.55

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

5.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.50 NZ$4.27

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

-32.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 NZ$3.13

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

12.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.43 NZ$4.16

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

-11.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.48 NZ$5.96

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

55.36%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.65

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

10.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.69

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

-5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.04 NZ$3.49

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

92.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 NZ$1.70

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

37.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.47 NZ$35.04

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

522.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.79 NZ$15.05

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-62.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.45 NZ$4.20

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

-11.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.21 NZ$8.93

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

90.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.59 NZ$7.86

$0.27 Rp 4,778

1600.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.29 NZ$51.9

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

273.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.38 NZ$4.07

$0.48 Rp 8,659

395.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.80 NZ$3.08

$0.42 Rp 7,532

328.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$17.45 NZ$29.88

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

180.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.81

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

102.47%

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

$18.4K NZ$31.5K

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

-30.91%

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

$21.8K NZ$37.3K

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-32.33%

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

$89.6 NZ$153

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

14.38%

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

$36.80 NZ$63.0

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

804.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.79 NZ$81.8

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

96.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.51 NZ$60.8

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-63.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.17 NZ$22.56

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

107.73%

Cinema Ticket

$9.14 NZ$15.65

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

129.07%

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

$993 NZ$1,700

$305 Rp 5.5M

225.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,069 NZ$10.4K

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

-8.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.9 NZ$97.5

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

5.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.10 NZ$63.5

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

-1.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.4 NZ$158

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

6.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$90.6 NZ$155

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

18.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 NZ$1,445

$992 Rp 17.8M

-14.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 NZ$1,177

$673 Rp 12.1M

2.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,570 NZ$2,688

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-53.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,391 NZ$2,382

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-32.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,125 NZ$3,638

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

-24.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,887 NZ$3,231

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

-15.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,576 NZ$4,411

$167 Rp 3.0M

1442.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

13.28

-49.62%

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

Last update for Palmerston North: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $844 in Palmerston North and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palmerston North pays 1443% 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: $73.0 in Palmerston North vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $298 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

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

Palmerston North and Ubud, Bali differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($1,662 vs $1,408 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 1443% higher in Palmerston North, 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: $844 in Palmerston North versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $993 in Palmerston North versus $305 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Palmerston North. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,662 in Palmerston North, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Palmerston North. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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, Palmerston North 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 18% less than in Palmerston North. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.