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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,072 per month in Timaru vs $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,190 per month in Timaru vs $2,540 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,308 per month in Timaru vs $3,660 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Timaru costs about 46% more than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Timaru and Ubud, Bali sit above the global median – Timaru by 55%, Ubud, Bali by 6%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.97 NZ$25.27

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

320.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$77.8 NZ$131

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

137.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.46 NZ$15.97

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

91.11%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NZ$5.81

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

26.94%

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

$2.17 NZ$3.67

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

61.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.94 NZ$3.28

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

177.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.96 NZ$10.06

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

104.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 NZ$10.05

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

50.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 NZ$2.66

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

-12.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 NZ$3.16

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

-25.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 NZ$1.98

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

1.72%

Eggs

$6.53 NZ$11.02

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

165.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 NZ$16.55

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

-33.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.89 NZ$18.39

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

152.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.40 NZ$27.68

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

35.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.57 NZ$4.33

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

-33.07%

Banana (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.27

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

62.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.05 NZ$5.15

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

7.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.85 NZ$9.88

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

151.07%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 NZ$4.46

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

38.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 NZ$4.02

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

8.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.94 NZ$4.97

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

191.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.88

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

42.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.77 NZ$48.56

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

766.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.27 NZ$12.27

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

-69.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.83 NZ$8.16

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

73.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 NZ$12.01

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

148.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.13 NZ$3.60

$0.27 Rp 4,800

688.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.9 NZ$108

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

696.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.69

$0.46 Rp 8,150

504.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.14 NZ$1.92

$0.45 Rp 8,037

153.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.79 NZ$53.7

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

421.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.80

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

110.13%

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

$29.4K NZ$49.7K

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

12.46%

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

$17.7K NZ$29.9K

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

-44.91%

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

$191 NZ$322

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

138.69%

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

$23.74 NZ$40.08

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

484.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.0 NZ$101

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

154.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.24 NZ$61.2

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-63.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.23 NZ$20.65

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

84.46%

Cinema Ticket

$13.53 NZ$22.84

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

226.02%

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

$492 NZ$831

$304 Rp 5.4M

61.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,030 NZ$11.9K

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

6.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$86.4 NZ$146

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

55.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$49.33 NZ$83.3

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

28.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 NZ$162

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

8.39%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$279 NZ$471

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

258.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$976 NZ$1,648

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-3.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 NZ$1,352

$675 Rp 12.1M

18.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,553 NZ$2,622

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

-54.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,452 NZ$2,452

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

-28.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,560 NZ$7,698

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

60.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,465 NZ$5,850

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

53.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.74

13.28

-49.25%

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

Last update for Timaru: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $976 in Timaru versus $1,006 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Timaru versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $302 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

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

Timaru costs about 46% 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 $3,107 per month in Timaru and $2,129 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Timaru and $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,072 in Timaru and $1,419 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,419, than in Timaru at $2,072. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Timaru it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,419 versus $2,072 in Timaru. 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, Timaru makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.