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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,355 in Rarotonga versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,003 in Rarotonga versus $2,582 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,650 in Rarotonga versus $3,757 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Rarotonga costs roughly 4% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Rarotonga 1% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.13 NZ$20.62

$3.42 Rp 58.5K

254.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.4 NZ$101

$32.96 Rp 564.6K

80.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.72 NZ$13.12

$5.08 Rp 87.0K

51.97%

Cappuccino

$4.42 NZ$7.52

$2.82 Rp 48.4K

56.74%

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

$3.42 NZ$5.81

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

149.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 NZ$4.91

$0.71 Rp 12.1K

307.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.67 NZ$11.35

$2.97 Rp 50.8K

124.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.53 NZ$9.39

$3.91 Rp 67.0K

41.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 NZ$3.74

$1.75 Rp 29.9K

25.71%

White Bread (500g)

$2.87 NZ$4.87

$2.52 Rp 43.1K

13.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.49 NZ$2.53

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

23.14%

Eggs

$6.48 NZ$11.01

$2.33 Rp 40.0K

178.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.89 NZ$15.11

$14.50 Rp 248.3K

-38.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 NZ$11.99

$4.36 Rp 74.6K

61.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.15 NZ$12.16

$12.05 Rp 206.3K

-40.66%

Apples (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.18

$3.82 Rp 65.4K

-20.16%

Banana (1kg)

$3.03 NZ$5.15

$1.61 Rp 27.6K

88.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 NZ$6.25

$2.70 Rp 46.3K

36.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.00

$2.23 Rp 38.2K

31.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.78 NZ$3.03

$1.90 Rp 32.5K

-6.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.38 NZ$2.34

$2.18 Rp 37.4K

-36.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.76 NZ$2.99

$1.03 Rp 17.6K

70.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.69 NZ$6.27

$0.77 Rp 13.2K

379.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.84 NZ$25.22

$3.18 Rp 54.5K

366.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.95 NZ$20.31

$23.23 Rp 397.8K

-48.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.56 NZ$6.05

$2.85 Rp 48.8K

24.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.46 NZ$9.28

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

100.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 NZ$5.03

$0.29 Rp 5,005

920.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.3K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.86 NZ$35.47

$0.49 Rp 8,316

4157.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,785

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.20 NZ$61.5

$6.28 Rp 107.5K

476.43%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.86 NZ$3.16

$0.85 Rp 14.5K

118.82%

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

$12.3K NZ$20.9K

$26.1K Rp 446.3M

-52.86%

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

$31.5K Rp 540.0M

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

$92.0 NZ$156

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

15.28%

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

$30.46 NZ$51.8

$4.09 Rp 70.0K

644.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 NZ$179

$24.06 Rp 412.2K

336.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.30 NZ$43.02

$96.2 Rp 1.6M

-73.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.83 NZ$40.52

$6.53 Rp 111.8K

264.93%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 NZ$12.12

$4.13 Rp 70.8K

72.64%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,433 NZ$2,437

$6,661 Rp 114.1M

-78.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 941.3K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 663.7K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$491 NZ$834

$1,018 Rp 17.4M

-51.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 NZ$806

$660 Rp 11.3M

-28.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$718 NZ$1,221

$3,435 Rp 58.8M

-79.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$722 NZ$1,227

$2,053 Rp 35.2M

-64.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.1M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,055 NZ$6,894

$172 Rp 2.9M

2256.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

-39.76%

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

Last update for Rarotonga: April 20, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $491 in Rarotonga and $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rarotonga pays 2257% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $59 in Rarotonga vs $33 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $341 vs $299 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

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

Rarotonga wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rarotonga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Rarotonga pays 2257% 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: $491 in Rarotonga versus $1,018 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,355 per month in Rarotonga versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,355 in Rarotonga versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rarotonga but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Rarotonga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rarotonga delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,355 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rarotonga hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Rarotonga 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 Rarotonga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.