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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,738 in Canterbury, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,703 in Canterbury, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,669 in Canterbury, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 18% cheaper than Canterbury, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Canterbury sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 6%, Canterbury by 30%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

$12.30 NZ$20.94

-71.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

$67.0 NZ$114

-51.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

$8.78 NZ$14.95

-43.62%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

$3.27 NZ$5.56

-17.13%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

$2.26 NZ$3.84

-40.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$2.01 NZ$3.42

-65.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

$4.15 NZ$7.07

-29.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

$6.00 NZ$10.22

-34.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$1.25 NZ$2.12

44.80%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

$1.89 NZ$3.22

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

$1.81 NZ$3.08

-35.91%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$5.77 NZ$9.83

-57.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

$6.64 NZ$11.31

121.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

$10.56 NZ$17.98

-59.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

$9.06 NZ$15.42

34.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

$2.29 NZ$3.90

67.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

$2.36 NZ$4.01

-33.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

$3.38 NZ$5.75

-16.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

$4.40 NZ$7.49

-47.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

$1.18 NZ$2.01

61.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

$1.97 NZ$3.36

11.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

$1.77 NZ$3.02

-42.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

$1.06 NZ$1.81

-26.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

$23.74 NZ$40.43

-86.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

$9.31 NZ$15.85

154.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

$2.56 NZ$4.35

8.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

$3.55 NZ$6.05

-19.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,819

$0.87 NZ$1.48

-68.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

$64.3 NZ$109

-87.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,181

$2.75 NZ$4.69

-83.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,068

$1.09 NZ$1.85

-58.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

$29.73 NZ$50.6

-79.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.70 NZ$2.90

-53.53%

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

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

$19.8K NZ$33.7K

32.21%

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

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

$25.2K NZ$43.0K

27.34%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$102 NZ$174

-21.57%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

$36.14 NZ$61.6

-88.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

$55.2 NZ$94.0

-57.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$36.87 NZ$62.8

167.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

$12.13 NZ$20.65

-45.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

$9.47 NZ$16.13

-56.18%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$578 NZ$984

-47.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

$12.0K NZ$20.4K

-44.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

$52.2 NZ$88.8

6.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

$30.00 NZ$51.1

27.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$96.8 NZ$165

-8.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$123 NZ$210

-36.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$973 NZ$1,658

3.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$791 NZ$1,347

-14.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

$1,577 NZ$2,686

118.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

$1,446 NZ$2,463

41.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$2,817 NZ$4,798

-94.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

7.07

87.84%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Canterbury: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $973 in Canterbury. 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 1605% higher in Canterbury, 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $67.0 in Canterbury. Groceries tell a different story – $302 in Ubud, Bali vs $289 in Canterbury – so Canterbury 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, $1,738 in Canterbury – roughly 22% apart. Canterbury costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,606 in Canterbury. 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 5% cheaper in Canterbury – 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $67.0 in Canterbury. 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 $1,419, than in Canterbury at $1,738. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Canterbury it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Ubud, Bali has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,419 in Ubud, Bali to $1,738 in Canterbury. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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, Canterbury makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.