Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Papamoa Beach Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Papamoa Beach

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,006 in Papamoa Beach.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,312 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,029 in Papamoa Beach.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,276 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,052 in Papamoa Beach.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 33% less than in Papamoa Beach, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Papamoa Beach 50% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Papamoa Beach
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 Rp 59.7K
$14.29 NZ$25.41
-76.70%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.42 Rp 634.2K
$69.1 NZ$123
-48.70%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.76 Rp 103.1K
$9.67 NZ$17.18
-40.43%
Cappuccino
$2.63 Rp 47.1K
$3.41 NZ$6.06
-22.87%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 Rp 31.1K
$2.04 NZ$3.64
-14.71%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.77 Rp 13.8K
$1.78 NZ$3.17
-56.74%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.71 Rp 48.4K
$7.12 NZ$12.65
-61.94%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.52 Rp 80.9K
$6.83 NZ$12.15
-33.82%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Papamoa Beach
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.53 Rp 27.5K
$1.74 NZ$3.09
-12.07%
White Bread (500g)
$2.20 Rp 39.3K
$1.00 NZ$1.79
120.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.22 Rp 21.8K
$1.92 NZ$3.42
-36.46%
Eggs
$2.14 Rp 38.3K
$6.40 NZ$11.38
-66.56%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.73 Rp 317.5K
$8.44 NZ$15.00
110.07%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.86 Rp 69.0K
$9.86 NZ$17.53
-60.85%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.03 Rp 215.3K
$17.25 NZ$30.66
-30.26%
Apples (1kg)
$3.61 Rp 64.6K
$2.94 NZ$5.22
22.79%
Banana (1kg)
$1.51 Rp 27.1K
$2.05 NZ$3.64
-26.34%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.32 Rp 41.5K
$2.92 NZ$5.19
-20.55%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.00 Rp 35.9K
$5.40 NZ$9.60
-62.96%
Potato (1kg)
$1.81 Rp 32.4K
$2.13 NZ$3.79
-15.02%
Onion (1kg)
$2.39 Rp 42.7K
$1.59 NZ$2.83
50.31%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.8K
$1.95 NZ$3.46
-49.23%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.52 Rp 9,389
$1.12 NZ$2.00
-53.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.18 Rp 39.1K
$26.96 NZ$47.93
-91.91%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.98 Rp 411.4K
$10.24 NZ$18.20
124.41%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.40 Rp 42.9K
$2.85 NZ$5.07
-15.79%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.00 Rp 53.7K
$3.39 NZ$6.02
-11.50%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Papamoa Beach
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 Rp 4,262
$1.69 NZ$3.00
-85.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$6.99 Rp 125.2K
$83.1 NZ$148
-91.58%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.44 Rp 7,889
$2.33 NZ$4.14
-81.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.42 Rp 7,595
$1.96 NZ$3.49
-78.57%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 Rp 97.6K
$32.05 NZ$57.0
-83.00%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.84 Rp 15.1K
$1.63 NZ$2.90
-48.47%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.3K Rp 435.6M
$26.0K NZ$46.2K
-6.34%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.9K Rp 571.0M
$22.0K NZ$39.0K
45.21%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Papamoa Beach
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.8 Rp 1.4M
$183 NZ$326
-55.88%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.58 Rp 117.8K
$27.28 NZ$48.49
-75.88%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.24 Rp 326.6K
$50.2 NZ$89.2
-63.65%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Papamoa Beach
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.1 Rp 987.1K
$39.78 NZ$70.7
38.59%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.51 Rp 331.5K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.24 Rp 76.0K
$13.21 NZ$23.48
-67.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Papamoa Beach
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$486 Rp 8.7M
$1,129 NZ$2,007
-56.97%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,676 Rp 101.6M
$19.9K NZ$35.4K
-71.46%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Papamoa Beach
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.18 Rp 809.0K
$59.8 NZ$106
-24.41%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.57 Rp 619.0K
$41.31 NZ$73.4
-16.32%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.2 Rp 1.4M
$81.2 NZ$144
-2.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.6 Rp 1.4M
$110 NZ$196
-29.41%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Papamoa Beach
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,127 Rp 20.2M
$1,000 NZ$1,779
12.62%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$674 Rp 12.1M
$826 NZ$1,469
-18.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,618 Rp 64.8M
$1,625 NZ$2,890
122.60%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,735 Rp 31.1M
$1,448 NZ$2,574
19.82%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,829 Rp 50.7M
$4,781 NZ$8,501
-40.83%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,307 Rp 41.3M
$3,303 NZ$5,873
-30.17%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Papamoa Beach
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$1,606 NZ$2,856
-89.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
5.4
155.19%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 5, 2026

Last update for Papamoa Beach: October 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,127 in Ubud, Bali and $1,000 in Papamoa Beach. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Papamoa Beach pays 870% 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: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $69.0 in Papamoa Beach for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $325 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 Papamoa Beach: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Ubud, Bali and in Papamoa Beach?
Ubud, Bali and Papamoa Beach differ by about 49% in total monthly costs ($1,348 vs $2,006 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 870% lower in Papamoa Beach. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Ubud, Bali and in Papamoa Beach?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,127 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,000 in Papamoa Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
What is the difference in childcare costs between Ubud, Bali and Papamoa Beach?
Childcare runs $486 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,129 in Papamoa Beach. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Papamoa Beach. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more doable on $1,000 per month?
At $1,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,006 in Papamoa Beach, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Papamoa Beach. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
How does quality of life compare between Ubud, Bali and Papamoa Beach?
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.
Is Ubud, Bali or Papamoa Beach safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Papamoa Beach are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Ubud, Bali or Papamoa Beach?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Papamoa Beach. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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