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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,917 in Timaru, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,928 in Timaru, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,939 in Timaru, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 29% cheaper than Timaru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Timaru sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 0%, Timaru by 40%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$14.41 NZ$25.18

-76.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$63.2 NZ$111

-42.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$11.17 NZ$19.53

-48.88%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$3.38 NZ$5.91

-21.01%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$2.11 NZ$3.69

-17.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$1.83 NZ$3.19

-52.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$5.76 NZ$10.06

-48.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$6.54 NZ$11.43

-30.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.12 NZ$1.96

44.64%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.83 NZ$3.19

27.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.18 NZ$2.06

-5.93%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$5.87 NZ$10.26

-62.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$8.71 NZ$15.23

103.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$9.58 NZ$16.74

-57.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$17.05 NZ$29.81

-28.56%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$3.04 NZ$5.32

22.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$2.41 NZ$4.21

-34.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$3.23 NZ$5.65

-29.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$5.09 NZ$8.90

-61.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.87 NZ$3.27

2.14%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.90 NZ$3.33

22.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$2.33 NZ$4.07

-56.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.56 NZ$0.99

-1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$21.33 NZ$37.28

-89.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$5.93 NZ$10.36

289.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$3.32 NZ$5.80

-27.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.22 NZ$2.13

145.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$1.75 NZ$3.06

-84.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$86.8 NZ$152

-89.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$2.33 NZ$4.07

-79.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$1.83 NZ$3.21

-76.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$28.99 NZ$50.7

-80.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.53 NZ$2.67

-47.71%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$25.7K NZ$45.0K

-3.11%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$25.6K NZ$44.8K

23.71%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$114 NZ$200

-28.64%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$23.35 NZ$40.82

-72.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$54.4 NZ$95.2

-65.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$40.22 NZ$70.3

41.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$10.63 NZ$18.58

-57.29%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$594 NZ$1,039

-19.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$12.0K NZ$20.9K

-52.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$61.0 NZ$107

-25.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$35.99 NZ$62.9

-0.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$93.1 NZ$163

-13.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$141 NZ$247

-44.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$1,047 NZ$1,831

6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$915 NZ$1,599

-23.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$1,566 NZ$2,738

132.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$1,510 NZ$2,640

15.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$4,274 NZ$7,471

-34.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$3,025 NZ$5,289

-24.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

7.07

94.91%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Timaru: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,047 in Timaru. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $63.0 in Timaru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $295 vs $307 – making Ubud, Bali the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Timaru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Timaru costs about 40% 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 $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $2,875 in Timaru. 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali and $63.0 in Timaru. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,368 in Ubud, Bali and $1,917 in Timaru. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Ubud, Bali, where all-in costs run around $1,368, than in Timaru at $1,917. In Ubud, Bali it covers expenses comfortably, while in Timaru it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ubud, Bali costs $1,368 versus $1,917 in Timaru. 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, Timaru makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.