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 $1,444 per month in Rotorua vs $1,392 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,243 per month in Rotorua vs $2,557 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,042 per month in Rotorua vs $3,723 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Rotorua costs about 4% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Rotorua and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Rotorua by 9%, Ubud, Bali by 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.04 NZ$20.75

$3.57 Rp 64.6K

237.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.1 NZ$104

$32.32 Rp 584.4K

86.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.82 NZ$16.92

$5.01 Rp 90.5K

96.01%

Cappuccino

$2.76 NZ$4.76

$2.82 Rp 51.1K

-2.13%

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

$2.29 NZ$3.94

$1.35 Rp 24.4K

69.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 NZ$3.91

$0.73 Rp 13.2K

210.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.49 NZ$9.45

$2.93 Rp 53.0K

87.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.50 NZ$9.48

$3.94 Rp 71.2K

39.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 NZ$3.11

$1.78 Rp 32.2K

1.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 NZ$3.63

$2.45 Rp 44.3K

-13.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 NZ$2.23

$1.15 Rp 20.8K

12.17%

Eggs

$5.40 NZ$9.30

$2.41 Rp 43.7K

124.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.79 NZ$13.43

$14.33 Rp 259.1K

-45.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.23 NZ$14.19

$4.19 Rp 75.7K

96.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.92 NZ$18.81

$12.06 Rp 218.1K

-9.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.09

$3.64 Rp 65.8K

-50.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 NZ$3.90

$1.57 Rp 28.3K

43.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 NZ$5.55

$2.79 Rp 50.4K

15.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 NZ$2.13

$2.24 Rp 40.5K

-45.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.76 NZ$3.04

$1.98 Rp 35.8K

-11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.68 NZ$2.90

$2.28 Rp 41.2K

-26.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.89 NZ$3.26

$1.05 Rp 19.1K

80.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.29 NZ$2.23

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

63.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.28 NZ$40.12

$3.19 Rp 57.7K

629.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.87 NZ$15.29

$23.49 Rp 424.8K

-62.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.41 NZ$2.42

$2.90 Rp 52.4K

-51.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 NZ$4.95

$2.76 Rp 49.8K

3.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 NZ$2.97

$0.27 Rp 4,821

537.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.1 NZ$110

$8.37 Rp 151.3K

665.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 NZ$3.06

$0.45 Rp 8,180

295.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 NZ$2.82

$0.46 Rp 8,311

256.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.68 NZ$61.5

$6.07 Rp 109.7K

487.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$2.93

$0.86 Rp 15.6K

97.67%

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

$28.6K NZ$49.3K

$26.6K Rp 480.7M

7.72%

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

$21.8K NZ$37.6K

$32.5K Rp 588.6M

-32.99%

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

$144 NZ$247

$79.0 Rp 1.4M

81.76%

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

$29.99 NZ$51.7

$4.09 Rp 74.0K

633.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.11 NZ$81.2

$23.85 Rp 431.2K

97.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.14 NZ$60.6

$98.8 Rp 1.8M

-64.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.29 NZ$17.72

$6.35 Rp 114.9K

62.05%

Cinema Ticket

$10.22 NZ$17.61

$4.01 Rp 72.5K

154.86%

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

$898 NZ$1,547

$297 Rp 5.4M

201.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K NZ$23.7K

$6,602 Rp 119.4M

108.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.7 NZ$122

$53.4 Rp 966.0K

32.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.82 NZ$63.5

$38.11 Rp 689.2K

-3.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$42.54 NZ$73.3

$88.7 Rp 1.6M

-52.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.6 NZ$92.4

$76.6 Rp 1.4M

-30.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$711 NZ$1,224

$1,020 Rp 18.4M

-30.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$526 NZ$907

$680 Rp 12.3M

-22.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,481 NZ$2,552

$3,469 Rp 62.7M

-57.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$894 NZ$1,541

$2,090 Rp 37.8M

-57.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,201 NZ$7,239

$2,729 Rp 49.3M

53.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,383 NZ$5,829

$2,295 Rp 41.5M

47.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,798 NZ$6,544

$164 Rp 3.0M

2220.40%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $711 in Rotorua versus $1,020 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 2220% 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 $32.00 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 4% 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 $2,167 per month in Rotorua and $2,088 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 $32.00 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 $1,392, than in Rotorua at $1,444. 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 $1,392 versus $1,444 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.