Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Queenstown Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Queenstown

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,516 in Queenstown.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,022 in Queenstown.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $5,528 in Queenstown.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 45% less than in Queenstown, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 2% above, Queenstown 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$15.08 NZ$25.63

-77.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.4K

$64.0 NZ$109

-39.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$9.55 NZ$16.23

-42.20%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$3.46 NZ$5.88

-23.70%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$2.20 NZ$3.75

-24.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$2.13 NZ$3.62

-63.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$6.96 NZ$11.83

-62.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$6.68 NZ$11.36

-35.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$2.29 NZ$3.89

-32.31%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$2.12 NZ$3.60

4.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$1.80 NZ$3.07

-37.22%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$6.18 NZ$10.51

-66.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

$8.71 NZ$14.81

99.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$10.36 NZ$17.60

-62.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

$16.59 NZ$28.21

-24.35%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$3.16 NZ$5.36

14.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$2.41 NZ$4.10

-35.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$3.88 NZ$6.60

-39.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$5.86 NZ$9.96

-64.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$3.67 NZ$6.23

-48.23%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$1.94 NZ$3.29

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$2.50 NZ$4.26

-58.80%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,781

$2.05 NZ$3.49

-73.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$28.11 NZ$47.78

-92.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.8K

$9.39 NZ$15.95

153.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$4.57 NZ$7.76

-49.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$6.70 NZ$11.39

-58.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,803

$1.50 NZ$2.55

-82.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$130 NZ$221

-93.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,490

$2.80 NZ$4.76

-82.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,865

$1.99 NZ$3.38

-77.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$30.63 NZ$52.1

-81.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.76 NZ$2.99

-56.82%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

$26.3K NZ$44.8K

-7.02%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.4M

$24.1K NZ$40.9K

33.48%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$118 NZ$200

-29.06%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$30.43 NZ$51.7

-78.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

$54.9 NZ$93.3

-65.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 987.0K

$59.2 NZ$101

-5.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.3K

$28.09 NZ$47.75

-33.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$10.73 NZ$18.24

-60.11%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$1,022 NZ$1,737

-52.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.3M

$7,916 NZ$13.5K

-26.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.3K

$60.9 NZ$104

-25.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.5K

$47.65 NZ$81.0

-23.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$97.0 NZ$165

-15.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$143 NZ$243

-43.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$1,558 NZ$2,649

-28.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$1,327 NZ$2,256

-47.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$3,052 NZ$5,188

15.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$2,661 NZ$4,523

-33.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$7,979 NZ$13.6K

-64.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$5,433 NZ$9,236

-57.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$3,248 NZ$5,522

-94.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.12

125.16%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Queenstown: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $1,558 in Queenstown. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Queenstown pays 1813% 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 $64.0 in Queenstown for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $383 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 Queenstown: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1813% lower in Queenstown. 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 $1,558 in Queenstown. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Ubud, Bali – a meal for two runs $39.00 versus $64.0 in Queenstown. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,516 in Queenstown – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,516 in Queenstown, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Queenstown. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Ubud, Bali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Queenstown, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Queenstown 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 80% less than in Queenstown. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.