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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,996 in Gisborne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,961 in Gisborne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,927 in Gisborne.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 29% less than in Gisborne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Gisborne 49% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.8K

$14.84 NZ$25.57

-76.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 594.6K

$79.5 NZ$137

-58.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.9K

$9.44 NZ$16.26

-47.56%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 49.3K

$3.55 NZ$6.11

-23.66%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.4K

$2.34 NZ$4.02

-42.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.7K

$2.11 NZ$3.64

-66.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 53.0K

$7.25 NZ$12.49

-59.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.9K

$6.42 NZ$11.06

-38.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.8K

$1.79 NZ$3.09

1.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.7K

$2.00 NZ$3.45

26.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 21.0K

$1.83 NZ$3.15

-36.61%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.7K

$6.08 NZ$10.47

-59.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 267.3K

$8.17 NZ$14.08

80.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 78.4K

$9.81 NZ$16.89

-55.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 220.5K

$12.90 NZ$22.22

-5.89%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.8K

$2.78 NZ$4.79

38.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.3K

$2.16 NZ$3.73

-27.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.5K

$3.01 NZ$5.19

-5.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 42.2K

$4.66 NZ$8.03

-50.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.8K

$1.99 NZ$3.43

-4.02%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 40.0K

$1.86 NZ$3.21

18.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.4K

$2.21 NZ$3.80

-54.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.1K

$1.15 NZ$1.98

-32.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 60.2K

$24.00 NZ$41.35

-86.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 431.2K

$10.19 NZ$17.55

132.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.7K

$2.53 NZ$4.35

10.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 52.0K

$3.70 NZ$6.37

-22.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,883

$2.06 NZ$3.55

-86.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 145.9K

$64.9 NZ$112

-87.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,291

$2.73 NZ$4.70

-83.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,176

$1.86 NZ$3.20

-75.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 110.7K

$35.59 NZ$61.3

-82.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.4K

$1.74 NZ$3.00

-54.60%

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

$26.1K Rp 475.0M

$28.7K NZ$49.4K

-8.84%

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

$32.1K Rp 583.5M

$22.6K NZ$38.9K

42.09%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.5M

$141 NZ$243

-43.37%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.8K

$36.47 NZ$62.8

-88.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 427.3K

$51.4 NZ$88.6

-54.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$36.46 NZ$62.8

170.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 120.4K

$11.93 NZ$20.56

-44.43%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 75.3K

$10.67 NZ$18.39

-61.11%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$731 NZ$1,259

-58.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 120.1M

$12.2K NZ$21.1K

-45.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$68.3 NZ$118

-18.73%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 695.9K

$38.26 NZ$65.9

0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$95.8 NZ$165

-7.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$119 NZ$205

-34.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.3M

$968 NZ$1,668

3.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.3M

$890 NZ$1,534

-24.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.5M

$1,472 NZ$2,536

133.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 37.0M

$1,302 NZ$2,244

56.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.6M

$4,832 NZ$8,324

-41.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 41.1M

$2,964 NZ$5,106

-23.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$4,489 NZ$7,734

-96.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.74

97.03%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Gisborne: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $968 in Gisborne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gisborne pays 2617% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $79.0 in Gisborne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $317 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

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 Gisborne: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 41% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Gisborne earns 2617% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $968 in Gisborne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,996 in Gisborne – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 709% less than in Gisborne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,996 in Gisborne, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Gisborne. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Gisborne, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Gisborne are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Gisborne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.