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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,072 in Timaru, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,540 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $3,190 in Timaru, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,660 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $4,308 in Timaru, rent included.

Ubud, Bali is about 31% cheaper than Timaru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Ubud, Bali and Timaru sit above the global median – Ubud, Bali by 6%, Timaru by 55%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$14.97 NZ$25.27

-76.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$77.8 NZ$131

-57.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$9.46 NZ$15.97

-47.67%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$3.44 NZ$5.81

-21.22%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$2.17 NZ$3.67

-38.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.94 NZ$3.28

-63.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$5.96 NZ$10.06

-51.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$5.95 NZ$10.05

-33.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.58 NZ$2.66

14.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.87 NZ$3.16

34.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.18 NZ$1.98

-1.69%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$6.53 NZ$11.02

-62.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$9.80 NZ$16.55

50.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$10.89 NZ$18.39

-60.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$16.40 NZ$27.68

-25.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$2.57 NZ$4.33

49.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$2.53 NZ$4.27

-38.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$3.05 NZ$5.15

-7.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$5.85 NZ$9.88

-60.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$2.64 NZ$4.46

-27.65%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$2.38 NZ$4.02

-7.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$2.94 NZ$4.97

-65.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$1.11 NZ$1.88

-29.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$28.77 NZ$48.56

-88.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$7.27 NZ$12.27

226.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$4.83 NZ$8.16

-42.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$7.11 NZ$12.01

-59.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$2.13 NZ$3.60

-87.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$63.9 NZ$108

-87.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$2.78 NZ$4.69

-83.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$1.14 NZ$1.92

-60.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$31.79 NZ$53.7

-80.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.66 NZ$2.80

-52.41%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$29.4K NZ$49.7K

-11.08%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$17.7K NZ$29.9K

81.53%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$191 NZ$322

-58.10%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$23.74 NZ$40.08

-82.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$60.0 NZ$101

-60.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$36.24 NZ$61.2

172.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$12.23 NZ$20.65

-45.79%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$13.53 NZ$22.84

-69.33%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$492 NZ$831

-38.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$7,030 NZ$11.9K

-5.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$86.4 NZ$146

-35.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$49.33 NZ$83.3

-22.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$96.0 NZ$162

-7.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$279 NZ$471

-72.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$976 NZ$1,648

3.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$801 NZ$1,352

-15.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$1,553 NZ$2,622

121.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$1,452 NZ$2,452

40.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$4,560 NZ$7,698

-37.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$3,465 NZ$5,850

-34.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.74

97.03%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Timaru: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $976 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $78.0 in Timaru. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $302 vs $359 – 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 46% 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 $2,129 per month in Ubud, Bali and $3,107 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $78.0 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 $1,419 in Ubud, Bali and $2,072 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 $1,419, than in Timaru at $2,072. 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 $1,419 versus $2,072 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.