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: $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,976 in Papamoa Beach.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,363 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,003 in Papamoa Beach.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,347 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,030 in Papamoa Beach.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 30% less than in Papamoa Beach, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Papamoa Beach 44% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$14.27 NZ$23.97

-76.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$70.6 NZ$119

-44.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$10.01 NZ$16.81

-43.86%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$3.49 NZ$5.86

-24.36%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$2.10 NZ$3.53

-24.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$2.04 NZ$3.43

-65.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$7.40 NZ$12.43

-63.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$7.48 NZ$12.56

-42.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.82 NZ$3.05

-15.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.04 NZ$1.75

121.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.92 NZ$3.23

-46.35%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$6.32 NZ$10.62

-66.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$9.07 NZ$15.23

90.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$10.09 NZ$16.95

-60.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$16.94 NZ$28.45

-26.68%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$2.93 NZ$4.92

26.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$2.09 NZ$3.50

-22.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$3.14 NZ$5.28

-27.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$5.53 NZ$9.28

-64.01%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$2.15 NZ$3.60

-14.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$1.71 NZ$2.87

31.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$2.02 NZ$3.38

-48.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$1.15 NZ$1.93

-51.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$28.31 NZ$47.55

-92.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$10.31 NZ$17.32

125.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$2.84 NZ$4.77

-15.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$3.48 NZ$5.84

-17.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$1.56 NZ$2.61

-83.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

$93.0 NZ$156

-92.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$2.31 NZ$3.88

-80.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$2.03 NZ$3.41

-77.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$34.02 NZ$57.1

-83.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.64 NZ$2.75

-53.66%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$27.0K NZ$45.4K

-9.06%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$23.3K NZ$39.1K

33.09%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$192 NZ$323

-57.28%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$28.56 NZ$47.96

-77.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$53.8 NZ$90.4

-65.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$39.54 NZ$66.4

41.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$13.72 NZ$23.04

-68.95%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$1,160 NZ$1,949

-57.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$21.0K NZ$35.2K

-72.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$61.4 NZ$103

-25.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$44.25 NZ$74.3

-18.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$85.3 NZ$143

-6.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$117 NZ$197

-30.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$960 NZ$1,612

19.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$900 NZ$1,512

-23.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$1,450 NZ$2,435

143.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$1,451 NZ$2,437

17.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$5,057 NZ$8,492

-44.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$3,363 NZ$5,648

-32.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$1,633 NZ$2,742

-89.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.33

158.54%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Papamoa Beach: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali and $960 in Papamoa Beach. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Papamoa Beach pays 864% 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 $71.0 in Papamoa Beach for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $331 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 43% in total monthly costs ($1,379 vs $1,976 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 864% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $960 in Papamoa Beach. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $489 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,160 in Papamoa Beach. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Papamoa Beach. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,379 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,976 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 43% less than in Papamoa Beach. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.