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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,005 in Nuku'alofa.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,844 in Nuku'alofa.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,683 in Nuku'alofa.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 40% more expensive than Nuku'alofa, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Nuku'alofa is 25% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$8.15 TOP 19.16

-56.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$61.8 TOP 145

-47.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$10.25 TOP 24.08

-52.59%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.84 TOP 6.68

-3.17%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$2.79 TOP 6.55

-52.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$2.43 TOP 5.71

-71.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$3.27 TOP 7.68

-11.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$5.00 TOP 11.74

-24.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.52 TOP 3.58

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.03 TOP 2.41

139.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.04 TOP 4.79

-41.18%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$5.06 TOP 11.90

-51.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$9.26 TOP 21.77

55.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$5.97 TOP 14.03

-27.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$7.47 TOP 17.57

63.45%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.80 TOP 6.59

31.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.74 TOP 6.45

-43.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$2.93 TOP 6.87

-4.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$3.81 TOP 8.97

-38.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$3.13 TOP 7.35

-37.06%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$2.57 TOP 6.05

-10.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$2.19 TOP 5.15

-51.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.40 TOP 3.30

-47.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$10.16 TOP 23.89

-67.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$17.10 TOP 40.18

33.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$3.17 TOP 7.44

-11.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$3.34 TOP 7.84

-16.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$2.14 TOP 5.03

-86.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$41.77 TOP 98.2

-80.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$2.10 TOP 4.94

-78.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$41.84 TOP 98.3

-85.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.42 TOP 3.34

-40.14%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$5,714 TOP 13.4K

354.64%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$8,146 TOP 19.1K

288.62%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$187 TOP 440

-56.88%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$22.19 TOP 52.2

-81.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$123 TOP 289

-80.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$31.12 TOP 73.2

213.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$41.83 TOP 98.3

-84.58%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$41.79 TOP 98.2

-90.33%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$160 TOP 375

90.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$252 TOP 592

2526.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$14.64 TOP 34.42

270.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$17.82 TOP 41.88

117.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$20.64 TOP 48.51

317.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$28.91 TOP 68.0

165.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$612 TOP 1,438

61.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$833 TOP 1,957

304.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$554 TOP 1,303

272.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$414 TOP 972

562.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$248 TOP 583

798.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$683 TOP 1,606

-76.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Nuku'alofa: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $612 in Nuku'alofa. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nuku'alofa pays 318% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $62.0 in Nuku'alofa. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $292, with Nuku'alofa 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 Nuku'alofa: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Nuku'alofa differ by about 40% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $1,005 including rent). Nuku'alofa is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Nuku'alofa earns 318% 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 $612 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,005 in Nuku'alofa – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,005 in Nuku'alofa versus $1,404 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 40% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.