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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,394 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,476 in Rotorua, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,551 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,232 in Rotorua, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,708 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,989 in Rotorua, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 6% cheaper than Rotorua, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Rotorua sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 5%, Rotorua by 11%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.40 Rp 60.6K

$11.92 NZ$20.71

-71.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.38 Rp 577.1K

$59.3 NZ$103

-45.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.00 Rp 89.1K

$9.39 NZ$16.32

-46.75%

Cappuccino

$2.82 Rp 50.3K

$2.74 NZ$4.77

2.92%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.5K

$2.23 NZ$3.87

-38.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.0K

$2.15 NZ$3.73

-66.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.98 Rp 53.2K

$5.30 NZ$9.20

-43.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.97 Rp 70.8K

$5.36 NZ$9.31

-25.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 32.0K

$1.74 NZ$3.02

2.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$2.03 NZ$3.53

21.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.4K

$1.29 NZ$2.24

-6.98%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 42.6K

$5.31 NZ$9.23

-54.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.40 Rp 256.6K

$8.04 NZ$13.96

79.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.28 Rp 76.4K

$8.46 NZ$14.69

-49.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.82 Rp 210.6K

$10.71 NZ$18.60

10.36%

Apples (1kg)

$3.78 Rp 67.4K

$1.84 NZ$3.20

105.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

$2.22 NZ$3.86

-26.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.80 Rp 49.9K

$3.37 NZ$5.85

-16.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.26 Rp 40.3K

$1.24 NZ$2.15

82.26%

Potato (1kg)

$2.00 Rp 35.6K

$1.76 NZ$3.06

13.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.4K

$1.68 NZ$2.92

31.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.07 Rp 19.1K

$1.91 NZ$3.33

-43.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.24 NZ$2.15

-38.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.13 Rp 55.7K

$22.60 NZ$39.26

-86.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 424.4K

$8.52 NZ$14.80

179.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 50.6K

$1.40 NZ$2.43

102.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.5K

$2.86 NZ$4.97

-2.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,755

$1.71 NZ$2.97

-84.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.37 Rp 149.1K

$63.1 NZ$110

-86.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,082

$1.86 NZ$3.23

-75.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,624

$1.65 NZ$2.86

-73.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.98 Rp 106.5K

$35.75 NZ$62.1

-83.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.68 NZ$2.92

-52.38%

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

$25.8K Rp 459.9M

$27.8K NZ$48.3K

-7.10%

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

$31.8K Rp 566.8M

$22.2K NZ$38.5K

43.57%

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

$80.7 Rp 1.4M

$145 NZ$252

-44.40%

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

$4.14 Rp 73.7K

$30.98 NZ$53.8

-86.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.12 Rp 429.8K

$46.43 NZ$80.7

-48.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.8 Rp 1.7M

$35.18 NZ$61.1

177.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.64 Rp 118.4K

$10.31 NZ$17.91

-35.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 71.9K

$9.97 NZ$17.31

-59.48%

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

$297 Rp 5.3M

$909 NZ$1,579

-67.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,590 Rp 117.4M

$13.4K NZ$23.3K

-50.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 Rp 982.6K

$71.8 NZ$125

-23.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.51 Rp 686.2K

$36.31 NZ$63.1

6.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$41.44 NZ$72.0

107.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.0 Rp 1.4M

$54.9 NZ$95.4

41.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 Rp 17.6M

$733 NZ$1,274

34.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$665 Rp 11.8M

$543 NZ$943

22.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,446 Rp 61.4M

$1,479 NZ$2,569

132.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,042 Rp 36.4M

$890 NZ$1,547

129.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,829 Rp 50.4M

$4,256 NZ$7,393

-33.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,282 Rp 40.7M

$3,470 NZ$6,028

-34.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$3,789 NZ$6,582

-95.53%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Rotorua: June 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Ubud, Bali versus $733 in Rotorua. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 2139% higher in Rotorua, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $59.0 in Rotorua. Groceries tell a different story – $299 in Ubud, Bali vs $266 in Rotorua – so Rotorua wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Rotorua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rotorua costs about 6% more than Ubud, Bali, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,091 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,214 in Rotorua. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Ubud, Bali, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Rotorua – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $59.0 in Rotorua. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,394, than in Rotorua at $1,476. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Rotorua it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,394 versus $1,476 in Rotorua. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Ubud, Bali. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Rotorua makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.