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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,631 in Palmerston North.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,689 in Palmerston North.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,747 in Palmerston North.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 14% less than in Palmerston North, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 2% above, Palmerston North 19% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$14.30 NZ$24.30

-76.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$69.2 NZ$118

-44.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$9.49 NZ$16.13

-41.83%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$3.42 NZ$5.82

-22.81%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$2.45 NZ$4.17

-31.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.84 NZ$3.12

-58.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$6.69 NZ$11.36

-60.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$7.13 NZ$12.12

-39.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.96 NZ$3.33

-20.92%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$2.31 NZ$3.92

-3.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$1.40 NZ$2.38

-19.29%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$5.38 NZ$9.14

-61.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$7.06 NZ$12.00

146.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$10.10 NZ$17.16

-61.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$11.22 NZ$19.06

11.85%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$2.65 NZ$4.50

36.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$2.26 NZ$3.85

-30.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$2.30 NZ$3.91

2.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$5.93 NZ$10.08

-65.26%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$1.52 NZ$2.58

25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$0.91 NZ$1.55

157.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$1.74 NZ$2.96

-40.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$0.75 NZ$1.27

-26.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$23.85 NZ$40.51

-90.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$8.53 NZ$14.48

179.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$2.91 NZ$4.94

-20.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$2.91 NZ$4.94

-3.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$4.22 NZ$7.17

-93.60%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

$85.5 NZ$145

-89.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$1.96 NZ$3.33

-75.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

$1.86 NZ$3.17

-75.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$17.77 NZ$30.19

-67.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.73 NZ$2.94

-56.07%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

$22.9K NZ$39.0K

6.71%

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$25.5K NZ$43.3K

25.88%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$73.0 NZ$124

14.42%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$33.34 NZ$56.6

-80.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$36.98 NZ$62.8

-48.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$23.56 NZ$40.02

137.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

$14.88 NZ$25.27

25.13%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$12.33 NZ$20.94

-65.29%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$1,105 NZ$1,876

-55.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

$8,727 NZ$14.8K

-32.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$73.9 NZ$126

-38.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$29.14 NZ$49.50

24.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$86.6 NZ$147

-5.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$88.5 NZ$150

-9.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$955 NZ$1,623

16.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$665 NZ$1,129

5.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$1,655 NZ$2,811

113.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$1,364 NZ$2,317

29.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

$2,196 NZ$3,731

28.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

$1,927 NZ$3,273

18.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$2,646 NZ$4,494

-93.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.39

155.66%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Palmerston North: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $955 in Palmerston North. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Palmerston North pays 1458% 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: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $69.0 in Palmerston North for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $301 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 Palmerston North: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Palmerston North differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,396 vs $1,631 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 1458% lower in Palmerston North. 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: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $955 in Palmerston North. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $487 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,105 in Palmerston North. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Palmerston North. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,631 in Palmerston North, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Palmerston North. 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 Palmerston North 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 17% less than in Palmerston North. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.