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: $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,831 in North Shore.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,551 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,771 in North Shore.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,708 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,711 in North Shore.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 24% less than in North Shore, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, North Shore 37% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.6K

$14.92 NZ$25.92

-77.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 577.1K

$77.2 NZ$134

-58.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 89.1K

$8.61 NZ$14.96

-41.93%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.3K

$3.50 NZ$6.09

-19.43%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

$2.15 NZ$3.74

-35.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$1.85 NZ$3.22

-60.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$7.12 NZ$12.36

-58.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.8K

$7.19 NZ$12.49

-44.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$1.71 NZ$2.97

4.68%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$1.50 NZ$2.61

64.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$1.94 NZ$3.38

-38.14%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

$5.83 NZ$10.12

-59.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 256.6K

$8.46 NZ$14.70

70.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 76.4K

$9.74 NZ$16.91

-56.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.6K

$9.13 NZ$15.86

29.46%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.4K

$2.78 NZ$4.82

35.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$2.14 NZ$3.72

-23.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.9K

$3.24 NZ$5.62

-13.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.3K

$4.09 NZ$7.10

-44.74%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.6K

$2.05 NZ$3.57

-2.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

$1.63 NZ$2.84

35.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

$1.89 NZ$3.28

-43.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$0.70 NZ$1.22

8.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.7K

$24.62 NZ$42.77

-87.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 424.4K

$10.21 NZ$17.74

133.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.6K

$1.84 NZ$3.19

54.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.5K

$1.21 NZ$2.11

129.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,755

$2.38 NZ$4.13

-88.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 149.1K

$65.1 NZ$113

-87.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,082

$2.10 NZ$3.64

-78.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,624

$2.00 NZ$3.48

-78.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 106.5K

$35.88 NZ$62.3

-83.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.64 NZ$2.85

-51.22%

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

$25.8K Rp 459.9M

$28.4K NZ$49.3K

-9.15%

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

$31.8K Rp 566.8M

$21.7K NZ$37.8K

46.27%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$145 NZ$251

-44.13%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.7K

$14.87 NZ$25.84

-72.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 429.8K

$43.83 NZ$76.1

-44.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$28.62 NZ$49.71

241.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 118.4K

$12.12 NZ$21.06

-45.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.9K

$10.86 NZ$18.87

-62.80%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$903 NZ$1,569

-67.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 117.4M

$13.9K NZ$24.1K

-52.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 982.6K

$69.6 NZ$121

-20.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 686.2K

$50.3 NZ$87.4

-23.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$94.3 NZ$164

-8.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$89.2 NZ$155

-12.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.6M

$1,068 NZ$1,855

-7.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$796 NZ$1,383

-16.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.4M

$2,989 NZ$5,193

15.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.4M

$1,364 NZ$2,369

49.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.4M

$7,512 NZ$13.0K

-62.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.7M

$6,156 NZ$10.7K

-62.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$2,983 NZ$5,183

-94.33%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for North Shore: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Ubud, Bali and $1,068 in North Shore. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

North Shore pays 1663% 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: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $77.0 in North Shore. Groceries flip the comparison at $299 vs $282, 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 31% in total monthly costs ($1,394 vs $1,831 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1663% lower in North Shore. 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: $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,068 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 $32.00 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 $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,831 in North Shore – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,394 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,831 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 31% less than in North Shore. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.