Cost of Living Comparison Between Waiheke Island and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Waiheke Island and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,982 in Waiheke Island versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,049 in Waiheke Island versus $2,334 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,115 in Waiheke Island versus $3,273 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Waiheke Island is roughly 42% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Waiheke Island 44% above, Ubud, Bali 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.91 NZ$25.48

$3.37 Rp 59.9K

342.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.8 NZ$119

$38.59 Rp 685.5K

80.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 NZ$16.93

$5.52 Rp 98.1K

79.53%

Cappuccino

$3.06 NZ$5.23

$2.64 Rp 47.0K

15.91%

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

$2.26 NZ$3.86

$1.67 Rp 29.7K

35.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 NZ$3.09

$0.77 Rp 13.7K

135.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.75 NZ$11.53

$2.63 Rp 46.8K

156.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.82 NZ$11.65

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

59.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 NZ$3.12

$1.55 Rp 27.5K

17.42%

White Bread (500g)

$2.15 NZ$3.68

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

-3.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.73 NZ$2.95

$1.13 Rp 20.0K

53.10%

Eggs

$6.82 NZ$11.65

$2.09 Rp 37.1K

226.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.73 NZ$13.21

$17.39 Rp 309.0K

-55.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.23 NZ$15.76

$3.87 Rp 68.7K

138.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.30 NZ$27.85

$12.55 Rp 222.9K

29.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 NZ$4.46

$3.62 Rp 64.2K

-27.90%

Banana (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.70

$1.56 Rp 27.7K

39.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.23 NZ$5.51

$2.35 Rp 41.8K

37.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.68 NZ$9.71

$2.06 Rp 36.5K

175.73%

Potato (1kg)

$2.04 NZ$3.48

$1.90 Rp 33.7K

7.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.44 NZ$2.46

$2.34 Rp 41.5K

-38.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.36 NZ$4.03

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

129.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.05 NZ$1.80

$0.55 Rp 9,854

90.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$26.66 NZ$45.56

$2.25 Rp 40.0K

1084.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.11 NZ$17.28

$23.81 Rp 422.9K

-57.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.67 NZ$4.56

$2.31 Rp 41.1K

15.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 NZ$4.84

$2.80 Rp 49.8K

1.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.57 NZ$2.68

$0.27 Rp 4,839

481.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$95.7 NZ$164

$8.66 Rp 153.9K

1005.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.36 NZ$4.04

$0.48 Rp 8,554

391.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 NZ$3.20

$0.45 Rp 7,924

315.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.30 NZ$55.2

$5.72 Rp 101.6K

464.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 NZ$2.92

$0.76 Rp 13.5K

125.00%

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

$26.9K NZ$46.0K

$24.5K Rp 434.9M

9.98%

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

$27.3K NZ$46.6K

$32.1K Rp 570.6M

-15.11%

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

$132 NZ$226

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

58.48%

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

$32.98 NZ$56.4

$6.46 Rp 114.7K

410.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$55.1 NZ$94.2

$18.99 Rp 337.4K

190.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.96 NZ$64.9

$56.0 Rp 994.4K

-32.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 330.7K

Cinema Ticket

$10.88 NZ$18.59

$4.28 Rp 76.1K

154.21%

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

$803 NZ$1,373

$487 Rp 8.6M

65.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.6K NZ$24.9K

$5,856 Rp 104.0M

149.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.6 NZ$98.4

$45.56 Rp 809.3K

26.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.48 NZ$62.3

$36.38 Rp 646.3K

0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.2 NZ$163

$82.0 Rp 1.5M

16.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$122 NZ$208

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

51.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$898 NZ$1,534

$1,117 Rp 19.8M

-19.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$995 NZ$1,700

$701 Rp 12.5M

41.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,706 NZ$2,915

$3,537 Rp 62.8M

-51.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,601 NZ$2,736

$1,762 Rp 31.3M

-9.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,387 NZ$7,496

$2,826 Rp 50.2M

55.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,375 NZ$5,766

$2,292 Rp 40.7M

47.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

13.78

-60.89%

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

Last update for Waiheke Island: September 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $898 in Waiheke Island and $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $70.0 in Waiheke Island vs $39.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $330 vs $293 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

Waiheke Island vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Waiheke Island. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $2,973 in Waiheke Island and $2,095 in Ubud, Bali 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: $898 in Waiheke Island versus $1,117 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $803 in Waiheke Island versus $487 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Waiheke Island. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,982 in Waiheke Island, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Waiheke Island. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Ubud, Bali delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,396 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Waiheke Island and Ubud, Bali 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 42% less than in Waiheke Island. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.