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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,355 in Rarotonga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,582 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,003 in Rarotonga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,757 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,650 in Rarotonga.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 4% more expensive than Rarotonga, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Rarotonga 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 Rp 58.7K

$12.13 NZ$20.50

-71.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.96 Rp 566.5K

$59.4 NZ$100

-44.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 Rp 87.3K

$7.72 NZ$13.04

-34.20%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 48.5K

$4.42 NZ$7.48

-36.20%

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

$1.37 Rp 23.5K

$3.42 NZ$5.77

-59.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$2.89 NZ$4.88

-75.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.97 Rp 51.0K

$6.67 NZ$11.28

-55.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.91 Rp 67.2K

$5.53 NZ$9.34

-29.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 Rp 30.0K

$2.20 NZ$3.72

-20.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 43.2K

$2.87 NZ$4.84

-12.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.8K

$1.49 NZ$2.51

-18.79%

Eggs

$2.33 Rp 40.1K

$6.48 NZ$10.95

-64.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 249.2K

$8.89 NZ$15.02

63.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.36 Rp 74.9K

$7.05 NZ$11.92

-38.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.05 Rp 207.0K

$7.15 NZ$12.09

68.53%

Apples (1kg)

$3.82 Rp 65.6K

$3.05 NZ$5.15

25.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

$3.03 NZ$5.12

-46.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.70 Rp 46.5K

$3.68 NZ$6.21

-26.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.23 Rp 38.3K

$2.94 NZ$4.97

-24.15%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.78 NZ$3.01

6.74%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 Rp 37.5K

$1.38 NZ$2.33

57.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 17.7K

$1.76 NZ$2.97

-41.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.3K

$3.69 NZ$6.23

-79.13%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.18 Rp 54.7K

$14.84 NZ$25.07

-78.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.23 Rp 399.2K

$11.95 NZ$20.19

94.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.85 Rp 48.9K

$3.56 NZ$6.01

-19.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 Rp 46.7K

$5.46 NZ$9.22

-50.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,022

$2.96 NZ$5.00

-90.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.43 Rp 144.8K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,344

$20.86 NZ$35.26

-97.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,812

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.28 Rp 107.8K

$36.20 NZ$61.2

-82.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 14.6K

$1.86 NZ$3.15

-54.30%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.8M

$12.3K NZ$20.8K

112.13%

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

$31.5K Rp 541.8M

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

$79.8 Rp 1.4M

$92.0 NZ$155

-13.26%

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

$4.09 Rp 70.3K

$30.46 NZ$51.5

-86.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.06 Rp 413.6K

$105 NZ$178

-77.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$96.2 Rp 1.7M

$25.30 NZ$42.76

280.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.53 Rp 112.2K

$23.83 NZ$40.28

-72.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.13 Rp 71.1K

$7.13 NZ$12.05

-42.08%

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

$297 Rp 5.1M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,661 Rp 114.5M

$1,433 NZ$2,422

364.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 Rp 944.5K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.75 Rp 666.0K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.6 Rp 1.5M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,018 Rp 17.5M

$491 NZ$829

107.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$660 Rp 11.3M

$474 NZ$801

39.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,435 Rp 59.0M

$718 NZ$1,214

378.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,053 Rp 35.3M

$722 NZ$1,220

184.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,981 Rp 51.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,368 Rp 40.7M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$172 Rp 3.0M

$4,055 NZ$6,853

-95.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

66.00%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 21, 2026

Last update for Rarotonga: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,018 in Ubud, Bali and $491 in Rarotonga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rarotonga pays 2257% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $59 in Rarotonga for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $299 vs $341 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 Rarotonga: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rarotonga wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rarotonga the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Rarotonga earns 2257% 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: $1,018 in Ubud, Bali versus $491 in Rarotonga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,355 in Rarotonga – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Ubud, Bali pay roughly 14% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,355 in Rarotonga versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rarotonga but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Rarotonga the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Rarotonga delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,355 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Rarotonga hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Rarotonga 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 Rarotonga gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.