Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nuku'alofa Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nuku'alofa

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,012 in Nuku'alofa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,868 in Nuku'alofa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,725 in Nuku'alofa.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 36% more expensive than in Nuku'alofa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Nuku'alofa is 27% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$8.22 TOP 19.44

-59.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$61.9 TOP 146

-42.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$10.25 TOP 24.24

-45.07%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$2.83 TOP 6.70

-0.35%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$2.88 TOP 6.81

-39.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$2.42 TOP 5.72

-66.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$3.28 TOP 7.75

-7.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.09 TOP 12.04

-15.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$1.59 TOP 3.76

1.26%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$1.05 TOP 2.49

116.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

$2.12 TOP 5.00

-44.81%

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$5.12 TOP 12.10

-57.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$9.16 TOP 21.66

92.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

$6.03 TOP 14.27

-32.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

$7.85 TOP 18.55

55.16%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

$2.79 TOP 6.61

29.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

$2.71 TOP 6.42

-39.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

$2.96 TOP 6.99

-21.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

$3.79 TOP 8.95

-48.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

$3.28 TOP 7.74

-43.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

$2.62 TOP 6.18

-9.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

$2.25 TOP 5.32

-53.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

$1.41 TOP 3.32

-61.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$10.30 TOP 24.34

-77.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$16.74 TOP 39.58

37.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$3.15 TOP 7.45

-25.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$3.39 TOP 8.02

-9.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$2.07 TOP 4.88

-87.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

$41.04 TOP 97.0

-77.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$2.12 TOP 5.02

-76.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

$2.03 TOP 4.80

-76.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$42.09 TOP 99.5

-86.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.47 TOP 3.46

-44.90%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$5,752 TOP 13.6K

334.81%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

$8,336 TOP 19.7K

272.68%

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$186 TOP 439

-55.46%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$22.42 TOP 53.0

-71.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$123 TOP 292

-84.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

$31.36 TOP 74.2

76.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

$42.00 TOP 99.3

-56.64%

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$41.91 TOP 99.1

-89.74%

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

$156 TOP 368

217.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$248 TOP 587

2281.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

$14.65 TOP 34.63

215.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

$17.94 TOP 42.42

103.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$20.89 TOP 49.38

286.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

$28.90 TOP 68.3

172.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$611 TOP 1,445

82.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$827 TOP 1,956

339.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$555 TOP 1,313

208.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

$417 TOP 985

562.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

$254 TOP 599

804.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$685 TOP 1,620

-75.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Nuku'alofa: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $611 in Nuku'alofa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nuku'alofa pays 310% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $62.0 in Nuku'alofa for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $294 vs $295 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 Nuku'alofa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Nuku'alofa differ by about 36% in total monthly costs ($1,378 vs $1,012 including rent). Nuku'alofa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 310% lower in Nuku'alofa. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $611 in Nuku'alofa. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nuku'alofa – a meal for two runs $62.0 versus $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,012 in Nuku'alofa – a 36% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,012 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,378 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nuku'alofa but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Nuku'alofa 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 Nuku'alofa 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 Nuku'alofa gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.