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: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,897 in Papamoa Beach.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,920 in Papamoa Beach.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,943 in Papamoa Beach.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 26% less than in Papamoa Beach, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 4% above, Papamoa Beach 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$15.36 NZ$26.24

-76.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$78.9 NZ$135

-58.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$9.59 NZ$16.37

-49.32%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$3.42 NZ$5.84

-19.59%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$2.32 NZ$3.96

-43.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$2.30 NZ$3.93

-69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$7.44 NZ$12.70

-60.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$7.15 NZ$12.21

-46.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.74 NZ$2.96

-1.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.04 NZ$1.78

137.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$2.03 NZ$3.47

-40.89%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$6.66 NZ$11.37

-63.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$8.56 NZ$14.61

67.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$9.67 NZ$16.51

-55.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$12.79 NZ$21.84

-4.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.89 NZ$4.94

27.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.18 NZ$3.72

-28.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$3.33 NZ$5.68

-16.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$4.09 NZ$6.98

-43.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.98 NZ$3.38

-0.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.71 NZ$2.91

35.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.90 NZ$3.25

-44.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.28 NZ$2.18

-42.97%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$24.99 NZ$42.68

-86.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$9.95 NZ$16.98

129.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.91 NZ$4.97

-3.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$3.86 NZ$6.59

-27.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$2.16 NZ$3.69

-86.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$64.1 NZ$109

-87.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$2.14 NZ$3.66

-78.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.91 NZ$3.27

-76.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$34.78 NZ$59.4

-82.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.64 NZ$2.81

-48.17%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$28.7K NZ$49.1K

-9.57%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$22.2K NZ$37.8K

42.92%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$145 NZ$247

-44.20%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$30.94 NZ$52.8

-86.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$48.32 NZ$82.5

-49.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$37.25 NZ$63.6

162.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$12.01 NZ$20.50

-46.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$15.02 NZ$25.64

-73.10%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$894 NZ$1,527

-66.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$13.6K NZ$23.2K

-51.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$63.4 NZ$108

-14.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$49.94 NZ$85.3

-22.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$87.3 NZ$149

-1.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$119 NZ$203

-35.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$987 NZ$1,686

-0.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$798 NZ$1,363

-17.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$1,572 NZ$2,685

114.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$1,406 NZ$2,402

46.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$4,980 NZ$8,504

-44.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$3,459 NZ$5,907

-35.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$1,603 NZ$2,737

-89.80%

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 9, 2026

Last update for Papamoa Beach: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $987 in Papamoa Beach. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Papamoa Beach pays 881% 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: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $79.0 in Papamoa Beach for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $311 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

Ubud, Bali and Papamoa Beach differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $1,897 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Papamoa Beach earns 881% 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 $987 in Papamoa Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $304 in Ubud, Bali versus $894 in Papamoa Beach. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Papamoa Beach. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,897 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.

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 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.

Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Papamoa Beach. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.