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 $2,076 per month in Timaru vs $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,132 per month in Timaru vs $2,585 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,188 per month in Timaru vs $3,763 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Timaru costs about 47% 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 5%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.16 NZ$25.96

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

339.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.5 NZ$136

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

145.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.76 NZ$16.72

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

101.65%

Cappuccino

$3.39 NZ$5.80

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

23.27%

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

$2.20 NZ$3.76

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

59.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.96 NZ$3.36

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

161.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.01 NZ$10.28

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

101.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 NZ$10.09

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

52.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.81

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

-5.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 NZ$3.34

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-20.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 NZ$2.05

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

2.56%

Eggs

$6.32 NZ$10.82

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

160.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.09 NZ$17.28

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

-30.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.54 NZ$18.05

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

142.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.82 NZ$28.80

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

40.40%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 NZ$4.31

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

-32.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.44 NZ$4.17

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

49.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.09 NZ$5.29

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

12.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.84 NZ$9.99

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

160.71%

Potato (1kg)

$2.61 NZ$4.47

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

35.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.36 NZ$4.04

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

3.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.91 NZ$4.99

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

174.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.16 NZ$1.99

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

61.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$29.22 NZ$50.0

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

788.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.09 NZ$12.14

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

-69.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.63 NZ$7.92

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

66.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.94 NZ$11.87

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

154.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.17 NZ$3.71

$0.27 Rp 4,778

703.70%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$63.0 NZ$108

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

676.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.88 NZ$4.94

$0.48 Rp 8,659

500.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.10 NZ$1.88

$0.42 Rp 7,532

161.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.24 NZ$55.2

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

418.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 NZ$2.74

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

97.53%

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

$30.2K NZ$51.7K

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

13.57%

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

$17.8K NZ$30.5K

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

-44.71%

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

$191 NZ$328

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

144.33%

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

$23.77 NZ$40.70

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

484.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.1 NZ$103

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

146.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.44 NZ$64.1

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-62.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.01 NZ$20.57

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

89.43%

Cinema Ticket

$13.01 NZ$22.27

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

226.07%

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

$502 NZ$860

$305 Rp 5.5M

64.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,932 NZ$11.9K

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

4.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$87.2 NZ$149

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

61.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$50.1 NZ$85.8

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

32.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.9 NZ$166

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

11.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$282 NZ$483

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

269.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$981 NZ$1,680

$992 Rp 17.8M

-1.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$787 NZ$1,347

$673 Rp 12.1M

16.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,580 NZ$2,705

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

-53.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,434 NZ$2,456

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-30.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,862 NZ$8,324

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

73.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,369 NZ$5,769

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

51.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $981 in Timaru versus $992 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 $79.0 in Timaru versus $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $357 vs $297 – 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 47% 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 $3,113 per month in Timaru and $2,112 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 $79.0 in Timaru and $32.00 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 $2,076 in Timaru and $1,408 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 $1,408, than in Timaru at $2,076. 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 $1,408 versus $2,076 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.