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: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,048 in Taupo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,040 in Taupo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $4,032 in Taupo.

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 33% less than in Taupo, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 0% above, Taupo 50% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$14.61 NZ$25.53

-76.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.0K

$69.6 NZ$122

-47.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$9.85 NZ$17.20

-42.03%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$3.36 NZ$5.88

-20.54%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$2.02 NZ$3.52

-13.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$1.82 NZ$3.18

-52.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$7.01 NZ$12.25

-57.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.1K

$7.13 NZ$12.46

-36.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.96 NZ$3.42

-17.35%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$2.22 NZ$3.88

4.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.94 NZ$3.39

-42.78%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$6.20 NZ$10.83

-64.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.8K

$8.97 NZ$15.67

97.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$10.20 NZ$17.82

-59.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$18.01 NZ$31.46

-32.37%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.7K

$2.93 NZ$5.11

26.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$2.18 NZ$3.81

-27.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$3.09 NZ$5.40

-26.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$5.33 NZ$9.31

-63.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$2.17 NZ$3.79

-11.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.60 NZ$2.79

45.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$2.03 NZ$3.54

-50.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,788

$1.14 NZ$1.98

-51.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$28.05 NZ$49.01

-92.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.2K

$10.45 NZ$18.26

120.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$2.82 NZ$4.93

-14.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$3.41 NZ$5.96

-12.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,821

$1.49 NZ$2.60

-81.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.3K

$87.7 NZ$153

-89.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,580

$2.24 NZ$3.92

-78.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,691

$1.97 NZ$3.45

-78.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$33.07 NZ$57.8

-82.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.86 NZ$3.25

-56.99%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.4M

$26.0K NZ$45.4K

-4.08%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.4M

$22.4K NZ$39.1K

41.60%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$189 NZ$330

-56.90%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$27.17 NZ$47.46

-76.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.9K

$40.69 NZ$71.1

-53.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$40.61 NZ$70.9

40.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$13.20 NZ$23.06

-65.61%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$1,143 NZ$1,997

-57.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$20.2K NZ$35.4K

-71.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.3K

$80.4 NZ$141

-43.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.4K

$41.55 NZ$72.6

-13.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$92.1 NZ$161

-12.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$111 NZ$194

-29.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$937 NZ$1,637

18.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$840 NZ$1,468

-16.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$1,467 NZ$2,563

147.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$1,576 NZ$2,754

10.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$4,944 NZ$8,638

-43.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

$3,056 NZ$5,339

-25.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

5.4

155.19%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Taupo: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $937 in Taupo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $70.0 in Taupo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $346 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, Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,052 in Ubud, Bali and $3,072 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $937 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 $36.00 versus $70.0 in Taupo. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $2,048 in Taupo – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,048 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 50% less than in Taupo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.