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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,023 in Gisborne.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,094 in Gisborne.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,165 in Gisborne.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 32% less than in Gisborne, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Gisborne 48% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$28.32 NZ$49.50

-87.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$55.8 NZ$97.5

-34.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$8.80 NZ$15.38

-35.11%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.62 NZ$6.34

-26.24%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$2.13 NZ$3.72

-17.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$2.07 NZ$3.62

-57.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$6.51 NZ$11.38

-54.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$5.74 NZ$10.04

-21.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.79 NZ$3.13

-9.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.00 NZ$3.49

16.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.78 NZ$3.12

-37.64%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$5.86 NZ$10.24

-62.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$8.37 NZ$14.64

111.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$9.79 NZ$17.12

-58.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$14.72 NZ$25.73

-17.26%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$2.80 NZ$4.90

32.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$2.24 NZ$3.91

-29.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$3.09 NZ$5.41

-26.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$5.18 NZ$9.05

-62.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$2.11 NZ$3.68

-9.48%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.51 NZ$2.64

54.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$1.99 NZ$3.47

-49.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$1.10 NZ$1.92

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$25.80 NZ$45.10

-91.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$9.34 NZ$16.33

147.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$2.66 NZ$4.65

-9.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$3.63 NZ$6.34

-17.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$1.58 NZ$2.77

-82.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$91.5 NZ$160

-90.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$2.02 NZ$3.52

-76.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.63 NZ$2.85

-73.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$33.59 NZ$58.7

-83.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$2.14 NZ$3.74

-62.62%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$28.2K NZ$49.4K

-11.68%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$27.2K NZ$47.6K

16.45%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$115 NZ$201

-29.12%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$32.85 NZ$57.4

-80.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$59.0 NZ$103

-68.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$38.20 NZ$66.8

48.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$10.93 NZ$19.10

-58.46%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$669 NZ$1,169

-28.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$14.6K NZ$25.4K

-60.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$64.8 NZ$113

-29.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$35.42 NZ$61.9

1.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$105 NZ$183

-23.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$116 NZ$203

-32.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$1,037 NZ$1,813

7.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$911 NZ$1,592

-23.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,449 NZ$2,533

151.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$1,690 NZ$2,955

2.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$5,196 NZ$9,084

-46.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$3,610 NZ$6,311

-36.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$4,247 NZ$7,425

-96.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.4

155.19%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Gisborne: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $1,037 in Gisborne. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Gisborne pays 2428% 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: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $56.0 in Gisborne for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $322 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 2428% lower in Gisborne. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,037 in Gisborne. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,023 in Gisborne – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 918% less than in Gisborne. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,023 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 48% less than in Gisborne. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.