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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,894 in Taupo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,948 in Taupo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,001 in Taupo.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 26% less than in Taupo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 4% above, Taupo 41% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$14.98 NZ$25.58

-76.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$79.1 NZ$135

-58.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$9.67 NZ$16.51

-49.74%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$3.48 NZ$5.94

-20.98%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$2.33 NZ$3.98

-43.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$2.30 NZ$3.93

-69.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$7.19 NZ$12.27

-59.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$7.15 NZ$12.20

-46.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.82 NZ$3.10

-6.04%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$2.11 NZ$3.60

17.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.99 NZ$3.41

-39.70%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$6.93 NZ$11.84

-64.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$8.57 NZ$14.63

67.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$9.70 NZ$16.57

-55.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$12.77 NZ$21.80

-4.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.90 NZ$4.95

26.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$2.18 NZ$3.73

-28.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$3.34 NZ$5.71

-16.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$4.05 NZ$6.92

-42.47%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.99 NZ$3.40

-1.01%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.63 NZ$2.78

41.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.96 NZ$3.35

-45.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$1.25 NZ$2.13

-41.60%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$24.96 NZ$42.63

-86.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$10.12 NZ$17.28

125.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$2.94 NZ$5.03

-4.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$3.94 NZ$6.72

-29.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$2.06 NZ$3.51

-85.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$64.9 NZ$111

-87.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$2.07 NZ$3.54

-78.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$1.92 NZ$3.28

-76.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$35.17 NZ$60.1

-82.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.68 NZ$2.87

-49.40%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$28.2K NZ$48.2K

-7.96%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$22.4K NZ$38.2K

41.55%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$142 NZ$242

-43.06%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$30.14 NZ$51.5

-86.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$48.51 NZ$82.8

-49.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$36.96 NZ$63.1

164.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$12.01 NZ$20.51

-46.29%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$15.20 NZ$25.95

-73.42%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$893 NZ$1,525

-65.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$13.8K NZ$23.5K

-51.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$70.9 NZ$121

-23.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$50.1 NZ$85.6

-22.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$99.2 NZ$169

-13.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$124 NZ$212

-38.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$983 NZ$1,678

0.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$771 NZ$1,317

-14.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$1,561 NZ$2,666

115.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$1,416 NZ$2,419

45.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$3,971 NZ$6,782

-30.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$2,928 NZ$5,000

-23.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

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 9, 2026

Last update for Taupo: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $983 in Taupo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $79.0 in Taupo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $297 vs $324 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 Taupo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 35% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,106 in Ubud, Bali and $2,842 in Taupo to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $983 in Taupo. 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 $33.00 versus $79.0 in Taupo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,894 in Taupo – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,894 in Taupo, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Taupo. 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 Taupo, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Taupo 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 35% less than in Taupo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.