Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Wanaka

For one person, living is cheaper in Ubud, Bali: $1,368 a month against $1,666 in Wanaka, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,368
/mo nomad
Wanaka
🇳🇿 New Zealand
$1,666
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Wanaka

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Wanaka actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,666 in Wanaka.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,368
  • Wanaka $1,666

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,314 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,631 in Wanaka.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,314
  • Wanaka $2,631

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,260 in Ubud, Bali versus $3,596 in Wanaka.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,260
  • Wanaka $3,596

Living in Ubud, Bali costs roughly 18% less than in Wanaka, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 1% above, Wanaka 23% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Wanaka
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.33 Rp 59.8K
$14.13 NZ$24.98
-76.43%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$35.18 Rp 631.2K
$56.3 NZ$99.6
-37.56%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.80 Rp 104.1K
$8.22 NZ$14.53
-29.44%
Cappuccino
$2.73 Rp 49.0K
$3.00 NZ$5.31
-9.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.64 Rp 29.4K
$1.69 NZ$2.99
-2.96%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$1.93 NZ$3.42
-56.99%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.70 Rp 48.4K
$6.53 NZ$11.56
-58.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.30 Rp 77.1K
$6.16 NZ$10.90
-30.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Wanaka
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.50 Rp 27.0K
$2.14 NZ$3.78
-29.91%
White Bread (500g)
$2.30 Rp 41.2K
$1.91 NZ$3.38
20.42%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.1K
$1.75 NZ$3.09
-32.57%
Eggs
$2.14 Rp 38.5K
$5.93 NZ$10.49
-63.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.48 Rp 313.6K
$8.45 NZ$14.94
106.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$4.03 Rp 72.3K
$9.37 NZ$16.57
-56.99%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.23 Rp 219.4K
$16.30 NZ$28.82
-24.97%
Apples (1kg)
$3.55 Rp 63.7K
$3.00 NZ$5.30
18.33%
Banana (1kg)
$1.57 Rp 28.2K
$2.11 NZ$3.73
-25.59%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.24 Rp 40.1K
$3.24 NZ$5.73
-30.86%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.93 Rp 34.6K
$4.92 NZ$8.70
-60.77%
Potato (1kg)
$1.88 Rp 33.8K
$1.79 NZ$3.16
5.03%
Onion (1kg)
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
$1.81 NZ$3.21
26.52%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.99 Rp 17.8K
$2.24 NZ$3.97
-55.80%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,445
$0.55 NZ$0.97
-3.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.28 Rp 41.0K
$21.98 NZ$38.87
-89.63%
Wine (Bottle)
$23.01 Rp 412.9K
$9.05 NZ$16.00
154.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.34 Rp 42.0K
$3.07 NZ$5.42
-23.78%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.91 Rp 52.2K
$1.24 NZ$2.20
134.68%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Wanaka
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.24 Rp 4,301
-
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.82 Rp 158.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.48 Rp 8,657
$5.66 NZ$10.01
-91.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.46 Rp 8,207
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.45 Rp 97.9K
$28.07 NZ$49.64
-80.58%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.88 Rp 15.9K
$1.80 NZ$3.18
-51.11%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$24.6K Rp 440.8M
$25.6K NZ$45.2K
-3.97%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$31.2K Rp 559.6M
$24.9K NZ$44.1K
25.03%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Wanaka
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$83.0 Rp 1.5M
$110 NZ$194
-24.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.45 Rp 115.7K
$28.11 NZ$49.71
-77.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.57 Rp 333.1K
$52.3 NZ$92.4
-64.47%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Wanaka
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$55.8 Rp 1.0M
-
-
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.11 Rp 324.9K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.38 Rp 78.6K
$10.10 NZ$17.86
-56.63%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Wanaka
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.8M
$591 NZ$1,045
-16.53%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,754 Rp 103.2M
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Wanaka
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.19 Rp 828.8K
$58.6 NZ$104
-21.12%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.33 Rp 634.0K
$34.64 NZ$61.3
1.99%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$79.1 Rp 1.4M
$68.3 NZ$121
15.80%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.4 Rp 1.4M
$73.8 NZ$130
6.26%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Wanaka
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,142 Rp 20.5M
$970 NZ$1,716
17.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$676 Rp 12.1M
$793 NZ$1,403
-14.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,503 Rp 62.9M
$1,852 NZ$3,275
89.16%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,700 Rp 30.5M
$1,595 NZ$2,821
6.58%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,784 Rp 50.0M
$5,611 NZ$9,923
-50.39%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.2M
-
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Wanaka
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$165 Rp 3.0M
$4,296 NZ$7,597
-96.17%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
13.78
4
244.50%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: October 11, 2026

Last update for Wanaka: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$676
Wanaka
$793 17.4% $117
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$290
Wanaka
$318 9.5% $28
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$109
Wanaka
$233 114% $124
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$108
Wanaka
$190 76.1% $82
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$108
Wanaka
$106 1.6% $1.7
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$65
Wanaka
$20 * 68.7% $44
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$13
Wanaka
$5.7 * 54.9% $6.9

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,142 in Ubud, Bali and $970 in Wanaka. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Wanaka pays 2511% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $56.0 in Wanaka for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $290 vs $318 per month, with Ubud, Bali cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇳🇿 Wanaka
🕒 Local time
03:27 3:27 AM
08:27 8:27 AM
5 h ahead of Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
11,600
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

NZD, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 17,943 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.57 USD). 1 EUR = 20,174 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.96 EUR).

New Zealand Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.77 NZD (1 NZD = 0.565 USD). 1 EUR = 1.99 NZD (1 NZD = 0.503 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Wanaka 6,530 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Wanaka

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Wanaka: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Wanaka?
Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Wanaka. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Wanaka?
On paper, salaries run 2511% lower in Wanaka. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali compared to Wanaka?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,142 in Ubud, Bali versus $970 in Wanaka. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or in Wanaka?
Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Wanaka. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Ubud, Bali compared to Wanaka?
All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,666 in Wanaka – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Wanaka?
At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,666 in Wanaka, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Wanaka. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Wanaka?
Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,368 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Wanaka?
Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Wanaka are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Wanaka. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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