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 $1,475 per month in Rotorua vs $1,438 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,211 per month in Rotorua vs $2,585 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,947 per month in Rotorua vs $3,732 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Rotorua costs about 3% 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 7%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 NZ$20.80

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

242.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 NZ$102

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

83.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.54 NZ$16.21

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

88.17%

Cappuccino

$2.80 NZ$4.75

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

-1.06%

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

$2.29 NZ$3.89

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

70.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NZ$3.73

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

218.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.44 NZ$9.25

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

81.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 NZ$9.14

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

39.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 NZ$3.10

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

4.60%

White Bread (500g)

$2.10 NZ$3.57

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-17.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.34 NZ$2.27

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

12.61%

Eggs

$5.47 NZ$9.31

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

125.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.86 NZ$13.36

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-46.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.19 NZ$13.93

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

95.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.90 NZ$18.53

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

-8.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.85 NZ$3.15

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

-49.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.23 NZ$3.79

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

38.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 NZ$5.47

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

19.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 NZ$2.09

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

-47.21%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$2.99

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

-7.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.61 NZ$2.74

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-26.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.90 NZ$3.23

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

79.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 NZ$2.20

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

79.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.20 NZ$39.45

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

641.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.02 NZ$15.33

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-61.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.38 NZ$2.35

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

-49.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 NZ$4.74

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

-3.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.65 NZ$2.80

$0.29 Rp 5,010

468.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$62.5 NZ$106

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

664.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 NZ$3.01

$0.45 Rp 7,834

293.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.58 NZ$2.68

$0.42 Rp 7,278

276.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.96 NZ$61.1

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

483.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$2.90

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

102.38%

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

$28.9K NZ$49.1K

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

10.02%

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

$22.4K NZ$38.1K

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

-30.92%

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

$141 NZ$240

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

79.90%

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

$31.03 NZ$52.8

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

685.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$45.95 NZ$78.1

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

88.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.15 NZ$61.5

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-62.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.07 NZ$17.12

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

58.58%

Cinema Ticket

$9.79 NZ$16.64

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

142.33%

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

$904 NZ$1,536

$303 Rp 5.2M

198.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.6K NZ$23.2K

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

108.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 NZ$118

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

28.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.85 NZ$62.7

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

-2.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$41.57 NZ$70.7

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

-52.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.4 NZ$90.8

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

-32.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$724 NZ$1,231

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-28.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$542 NZ$922

$674 Rp 11.6M

-19.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,470 NZ$2,498

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-56.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$890 NZ$1,513

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-57.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,218 NZ$7,171

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

41.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,520 NZ$5,984

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

50.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,908 NZ$6,643

$173 Rp 3.0M

2157.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

13.28

-52.03%

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

Last update for Rotorua: April 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $724 in Rotorua versus $1,012 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 2157% 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 $60.0 in Rotorua versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $267 in Rotorua vs $298 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 3% 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 $2,213 per month in Rotorua and $2,158 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 11% 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 $60.0 in Rotorua and $33.00 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 $1,438, than in Rotorua at $1,475. 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 $1,438 versus $1,475 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.