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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,251 in Lower Hutt.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,342 in Lower Hutt.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,433 in Lower Hutt.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 38% less than in Lower Hutt, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 4% above, Lower Hutt 67% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$17.50 NZ$29.89

-79.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$84.3 NZ$144

-61.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$10.90 NZ$18.61

-55.41%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$3.67 NZ$6.27

-25.07%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$2.41 NZ$4.11

-45.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$2.18 NZ$3.72

-67.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$7.33 NZ$12.51

-60.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$6.23 NZ$10.65

-39.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.89 NZ$3.23

-9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$2.12 NZ$3.62

16.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.86 NZ$3.17

-35.48%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$6.91 NZ$11.80

-64.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$8.27 NZ$14.13

73.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$9.43 NZ$16.11

-54.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$13.05 NZ$22.29

-6.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.53 NZ$4.31

45.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.09 NZ$3.57

-25.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.57 NZ$4.38

8.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$4.69 NZ$8.00

-50.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.99 NZ$3.39

-1.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.72 NZ$2.94

34.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$2.24 NZ$3.83

-52.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.24 NZ$2.12

-41.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$21.89 NZ$37.38

-85.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$9.51 NZ$16.24

139.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$3.70 NZ$6.32

-24.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$3.15 NZ$5.38

-11.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$2.65 NZ$4.53

-89.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$64.7 NZ$110

-87.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$2.69 NZ$4.60

-83.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.87 NZ$3.19

-75.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$60.9 NZ$104

-89.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.72 NZ$2.94

-50.58%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$29.1K NZ$49.6K

-10.60%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$25.2K NZ$43.0K

25.71%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$158 NZ$270

-49.01%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$37.73 NZ$64.4

-89.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$51.7 NZ$88.3

-52.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$41.92 NZ$71.6

132.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$11.92 NZ$20.35

-45.89%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$11.06 NZ$18.89

-63.47%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$732 NZ$1,250

-58.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$11.7K NZ$20.0K

-43.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$72.4 NZ$124

-25.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$56.3 NZ$96.2

-31.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$118 NZ$201

-26.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$141 NZ$240

-45.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$1,369 NZ$2,338

-28.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$1,102 NZ$1,881

-40.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$2,387 NZ$4,077

41.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$1,702 NZ$2,906

21.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$6,916 NZ$11.8K

-60.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$3,325 NZ$5,678

-33.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$3,345 NZ$5,711

-95.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.94

91.35%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Lower Hutt: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $1,369 in Lower Hutt. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Lower Hutt pays 1947% 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 $84.0 in Lower Hutt for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 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 Lower Hutt: 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 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Lower Hutt earns 1947% 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,369 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 702% less than in Lower Hutt. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $732 in Lower Hutt. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,251 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 60% less than in Lower Hutt. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.