Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and North Shore Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and North Shore

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,794 in North Shore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,743 in North Shore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,732 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,693 in North Shore.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 20% less than in North Shore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 7% above, North Shore 34% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 61.9K

$14.93 NZ$25.53

-76.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.58 Rp 564.7K

$77.1 NZ$132

-57.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 Rp 87.8K

$8.24 NZ$14.09

-38.47%

Cappuccino

$2.83 Rp 49.0K

$3.36 NZ$5.75

-15.77%

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

$1.34 Rp 23.2K

$2.17 NZ$3.71

-38.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

$1.85 NZ$3.16

-62.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 51.8K

$7.38 NZ$12.62

-59.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 66.7K

$7.43 NZ$12.70

-48.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 30.2K

$1.73 NZ$2.95

0.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.54 Rp 44.0K

$1.49 NZ$2.54

70.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

$2.03 NZ$3.48

-41.38%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 42.0K

$6.11 NZ$10.44

-60.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 Rp 254.1K

$8.63 NZ$14.75

69.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.18 Rp 72.4K

$9.56 NZ$16.35

-56.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.94 Rp 206.9K

$9.15 NZ$15.65

30.49%

Apples (1kg)

$3.69 Rp 63.9K

$2.76 NZ$4.72

33.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.8K

$2.11 NZ$3.62

-23.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.69 Rp 46.5K

$3.20 NZ$5.47

-15.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 40.4K

$3.98 NZ$6.80

-41.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.0K

$2.00 NZ$3.42

-4.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.19 Rp 37.9K

$1.65 NZ$2.83

32.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

$1.89 NZ$3.24

-43.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

$0.71 NZ$1.21

1.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 54.3K

$24.27 NZ$41.51

-87.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.49 Rp 407.1K

$10.17 NZ$17.38

130.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.74 Rp 47.5K

$1.85 NZ$3.17

48.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 Rp 49.9K

$1.26 NZ$2.15

128.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,029

$2.40 NZ$4.11

-87.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.17 Rp 141.6K

$65.0 NZ$111

-87.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,863

$2.08 NZ$3.56

-78.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,305

$1.97 NZ$3.38

-78.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.16 Rp 106.7K

$34.76 NZ$59.4

-82.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 Rp 14.6K

$1.69 NZ$2.88

-50.30%

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

$26.2K Rp 454.9M

$27.9K NZ$47.8K

-6.08%

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

$32.5K Rp 562.9M

$22.0K NZ$37.5K

47.92%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$145 NZ$249

-46.08%

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

$3.95 Rp 68.5K

$14.87 NZ$25.42

-73.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.40 Rp 423.0K

$44.75 NZ$76.5

-45.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

$28.38 NZ$48.53

240.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.35 Rp 110.0K

$12.18 NZ$20.82

-47.87%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 70.0K

$11.01 NZ$18.83

-63.31%

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

$303 Rp 5.2M

$905 NZ$1,548

-66.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,523 Rp 113.1M

$13.7K NZ$23.4K

-52.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.8 Rp 933.1K

$71.1 NZ$122

-24.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 Rp 658.3K

$50.6 NZ$86.5

-24.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

$93.4 NZ$160

-7.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$89.9 NZ$154

-12.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

$1,049 NZ$1,794

-3.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 Rp 11.7M

$800 NZ$1,369

-15.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,390 Rp 58.8M

$2,910 NZ$4,977

16.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,098 Rp 36.4M

$1,375 NZ$2,351

52.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.7M

$7,451 NZ$12.7K

-59.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.5M

$6,175 NZ$10.6K

-62.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$173 Rp 3.0M

$3,016 NZ$5,158

-94.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.37

108.48%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Last update for North Shore: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,012 in Ubud, Bali and $1,049 in North Shore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Shore pays 1642% 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 $77.0 in North Shore. Groceries flip the comparison at $298 vs $283, with North Shore 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 North Shore: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and North Shore differ by about 25% in total monthly costs ($1,438 vs $1,794 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, North Shore earns 1642% 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: $1,012 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,049 in North Shore. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $33.00 versus $77.0 in North Shore. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,438 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,794 in North Shore – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,794 in North Shore, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in North Shore. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and North Shore 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 25% less than in North Shore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.