Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Lower Hutt Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Lower Hutt

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,223 in Lower Hutt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,312 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,016 in Lower Hutt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,276 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,810 in Lower Hutt.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 39% less than in Lower Hutt, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Lower Hutt 66% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 59.7K

$10.94 NZ$19.44

-69.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.42 Rp 634.2K

$34.24 NZ$60.9

3.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.76 Rp 103.1K

$9.14 NZ$16.25

-36.98%

Cappuccino

$2.63 Rp 47.1K

$3.05 NZ$5.42

-13.77%

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

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.96 NZ$3.48

-11.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.8K

$1.68 NZ$2.99

-54.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.76 NZ$4.91

-1.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.9K

$6.99 NZ$12.42

-35.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 Rp 27.5K

$1.88 NZ$3.33

-18.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$1.68 NZ$2.99

30.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 Rp 21.8K

$1.93 NZ$3.42

-36.79%

Eggs

$2.14 Rp 38.3K

$6.87 NZ$12.21

-68.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.73 Rp 317.5K

$8.56 NZ$15.21

107.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 Rp 69.0K

$8.62 NZ$15.32

-55.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 Rp 215.3K

$12.84 NZ$22.83

-6.31%

Apples (1kg)

$3.61 Rp 64.6K

$2.76 NZ$4.91

30.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.51 Rp 27.1K

$2.00 NZ$3.56

-24.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.32 Rp 41.5K

$3.07 NZ$5.45

-24.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.9K

$4.66 NZ$8.29

-57.08%

Potato (1kg)

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

$2.17 NZ$3.85

-16.59%

Onion (1kg)

$2.39 Rp 42.7K

$1.29 NZ$2.29

85.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 Rp 17.8K

$2.10 NZ$3.73

-52.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 Rp 9,389

$1.16 NZ$2.06

-55.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.18 Rp 39.1K

$16.91 NZ$30.07

-87.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.98 Rp 411.4K

$8.55 NZ$15.21

168.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.40 Rp 42.9K

$3.25 NZ$5.78

-26.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.7K

$2.83 NZ$5.02

6.01%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.24 Rp 4,262

$2.77 NZ$4.92

-91.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.99 Rp 125.2K

$84.7 NZ$151

-91.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.44 Rp 7,889

$1.86 NZ$3.30

-76.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,595

$1.83 NZ$3.25

-77.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.45 Rp 97.6K

$33.72 NZ$59.9

-83.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 15.1K

$1.69 NZ$3.01

-50.30%

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

$24.3K Rp 435.6M

$25.4K NZ$45.2K

-4.39%

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

$31.9K Rp 571.0M

$25.1K NZ$44.5K

27.28%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$143 NZ$254

-43.50%

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

$6.58 Rp 117.8K

$32.72 NZ$58.2

-79.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.24 Rp 326.6K

$54.5 NZ$96.8

-66.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.1 Rp 987.1K

$38.56 NZ$68.6

42.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.51 Rp 331.5K

Cinema Ticket

$4.24 Rp 76.0K

$10.21 NZ$18.15

-58.47%

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

$486 Rp 8.7M

$673 NZ$1,196

-27.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,676 Rp 101.6M

$11.3K NZ$20.0K

-49.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.18 Rp 809.0K

$77.9 NZ$138

-41.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.57 Rp 619.0K

$28.11 NZ$49.97

22.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.2 Rp 1.4M

$105 NZ$186

-24.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.6 Rp 1.4M

$148 NZ$262

-47.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,127 Rp 20.2M

$1,410 NZ$2,506

-20.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 12.1M

$1,150 NZ$2,044

-41.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,618 Rp 64.8M

$2,133 NZ$3,793

69.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,735 Rp 31.1M

$1,673 NZ$2,975

3.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.7M

$4,825 NZ$8,578

-41.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,307 Rp 41.3M

$3,304 NZ$5,875

-30.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$166 Rp 3.0M

$3,183 NZ$5,659

-94.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.39

155.66%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 5, 2026

Last update for Lower Hutt: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,127 in Ubud, Bali and $1,410 in Lower Hutt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lower Hutt pays 1821% 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: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Lower Hutt. Groceries flip the comparison at $290 vs $310, with Ubud, Bali cheaper for home cooking.

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 Lower Hutt: 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 65% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1821% lower in Lower Hutt. 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: $1,127 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,410 in Lower Hutt. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 1111% less than in Lower Hutt. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $486 in Ubud, Bali versus $673 in Lower Hutt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,223 in Lower Hutt, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Lower Hutt. 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 Lower Hutt, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Lower Hutt 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 65% less than in Lower Hutt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.