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: $1,378 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,139 in Rarotonga.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,617 in Rarotonga.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,275 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,096 in Rarotonga.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 21% more expensive than in Rarotonga, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Rarotonga is 17% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.33 Rp 58.7K

$14.77 NZ$25.39

-77.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.82 Rp 630.7K

$52.7 NZ$90.7

-32.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 Rp 99.1K

$5.76 NZ$9.91

-2.26%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 49.7K

$3.44 NZ$5.91

-18.02%

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

$1.75 Rp 30.8K

$2.30 NZ$3.95

-23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 Rp 14.0K

$2.28 NZ$3.93

-64.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.04 Rp 53.6K

$5.28 NZ$9.07

-42.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

$5.31 NZ$9.13

-19.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 Rp 28.3K

$2.85 NZ$4.90

-43.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.27 Rp 39.9K

$3.03 NZ$5.20

-25.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 20.6K

Eggs

$2.17 Rp 38.2K

$6.25 NZ$10.74

-65.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.63 Rp 310.5K

$7.74 NZ$13.31

127.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 Rp 71.4K

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 214.5K

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.7K

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 Rp 28.8K

Oranges (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 40.6K

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 Rp 34.5K

Potato (1kg)

$1.84 Rp 32.5K

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 Rp 41.7K

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.05 Rp 18.5K

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 Rp 9,560

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.30 Rp 40.6K

$11.92 NZ$20.49

-80.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.08 Rp 406.4K

$11.73 NZ$20.17

96.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$3.46 NZ$5.95

-32.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.07 Rp 54.0K

$5.40 NZ$9.29

-43.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,365

$2.92 NZ$5.02

-91.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.42 Rp 165.9K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.49 Rp 8,631

$20.77 NZ$35.72

-97.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 Rp 8,349

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.60 Rp 98.6K

$35.89 NZ$61.7

-84.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.2K

$1.80 NZ$3.09

-55.00%

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

$25.0K Rp 440.3M

$11.7K NZ$20.2K

113.11%

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

$31.1K Rp 547.0M

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

$82.7 Rp 1.5M

$103 NZ$176

-19.38%

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

$6.49 Rp 114.2K

$49.34 NZ$84.8

-86.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.79 Rp 330.8K

$108 NZ$186

-82.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.2 Rp 972.6K

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.21 Rp 320.6K

Cinema Ticket

$4.30 Rp 75.7K

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

$494 Rp 8.7M

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,917 Rp 104.2M

$1,417 NZ$2,437

317.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 Rp 814.8K

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.44 Rp 641.6K

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 Rp 1.4M

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,114 Rp 19.6M

$474 NZ$815

134.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$693 Rp 12.2M

$463 NZ$796

49.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,639 Rp 64.1M

$710 NZ$1,221

412.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,712 Rp 30.1M

$656 NZ$1,129

160.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,761 Rp 48.6M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,293 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 2.9M

$4,121 NZ$7,085

-95.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 6, 2026

Last update for Rarotonga: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,114 in Ubud, Bali and $474 in Rarotonga. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rarotonga pays 2366% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $53.0 in Rarotonga. Groceries flip the comparison at $294 vs $159, with Rarotonga cheaper for home cooking.

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 21% 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, salaries run 2366% lower in Rarotonga. 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: $1,114 in Ubud, Bali versus $474 in Rarotonga. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,378 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,139 in Rarotonga – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 85% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,139 in Rarotonga versus $1,378 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 $1,139 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 21% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.