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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,512 per month in Rotorua vs $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,395 per month in Rotorua vs $2,327 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,278 per month in Rotorua vs $3,275 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Rotorua costs about 10% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rotorua and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Rotorua by 10%, Ubud, Bali by 0%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.99 NZ$20.62

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

260.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$70.2 NZ$121

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

96.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.17 NZ$17.48

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

80.64%

Cappuccino

$3.32 NZ$5.70

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

17.73%

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

$2.08 NZ$3.57

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

18.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 NZ$3.18

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

131.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.56 NZ$11.27

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

115.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.23 NZ$12.43

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

68.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 NZ$3.07

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

10.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 NZ$2.16

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

-44.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 NZ$2.27

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

12.82%

Eggs

$6.68 NZ$11.48

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

207.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.69 NZ$13.23

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

-56.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.68 NZ$8.05

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

15.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.32 NZ$31.50

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

50.41%

Apples (1kg)

$3.00 NZ$5.16

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

-17.13%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 NZ$3.45

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

22.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.58 NZ$4.44

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

11.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.74 NZ$9.87

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

192.86%

Potato (1kg)

$1.44 NZ$2.48

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

-21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.85 NZ$1.47

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

-64.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 NZ$0.99

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

-44.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 NZ$1.99

$0.54 Rp 9,560

114.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$25.13 NZ$43.20

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

992.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.89 NZ$15.29

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

-61.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 NZ$5.14

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

27.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 NZ$5.88

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

11.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.31 NZ$2.26

$0.25 Rp 4,365

424.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 NZ$105

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

550.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 NZ$4.06

$0.49 Rp 8,631

381.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.12 NZ$3.64

$0.47 Rp 8,349

351.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.11 NZ$58.7

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

509.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.68 NZ$2.88

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

107.41%

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

$23.2K NZ$39.8K

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

-7.42%

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

$21.8K NZ$37.5K

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

-29.73%

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

$68.0 NZ$117

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

-17.78%

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

$28.29 NZ$48.64

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

335.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.83 NZ$82.2

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

154.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.21 NZ$69.1

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

-27.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$9.61 NZ$16.53

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

123.49%

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

$712 NZ$1,223

$494 Rp 8.7M

43.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.1K NZ$34.5K

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

239.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$80.8 NZ$139

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

74.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$17.68 NZ$30.39

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

-51.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.2 NZ$157

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

12.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 NZ$198

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

46.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$699 NZ$1,202

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

-37.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$587 NZ$1,010

$693 Rp 12.2M

-15.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,297 NZ$2,230

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

-64.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,119 NZ$1,924

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

-34.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,228 NZ$7,270

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

53.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,519 NZ$6,050

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

53.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,928 NZ$6,753

$167 Rp 2.9M

2250.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

13.78

-60.81%

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

Last update for Rotorua: September 6, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $699 in Rotorua versus $1,114 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2251% higher in Rotorua, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Rotorua versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $292 in Rotorua vs $294 in Ubud, Bali – so Rotorua wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Rotorua costs about 10% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,267 per month in Rotorua and $2,067 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 1% cheaper in Rotorua – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $70.0 in Rotorua and $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,378, than in Rotorua at $1,512. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotorua it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,378 versus $1,512 in Rotorua. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rotorua makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.