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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,828 in Whakatane versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,827 in Whakatane versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,825 in Whakatane versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Whakatane is roughly 27% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whakatane 37% above, Ubud, Bali 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.03 NZ$25.55

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

321.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.7 NZ$124

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

123.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.43 NZ$16.04

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

86.00%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NZ$5.85

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

21.55%

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

$2.26 NZ$3.84

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

68.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 NZ$3.89

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

231.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.64 NZ$11.30

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

122.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.50 NZ$11.05

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

68.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 NZ$2.97

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

0.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.00 NZ$1.70

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-60.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

63.87%

Eggs

$5.94 NZ$10.09

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

144.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.81 NZ$13.28

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-46.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.33 NZ$15.86

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

123.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.25 NZ$22.53

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

10.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 NZ$4.43

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

-29.27%

Banana (1kg)

$2.21 NZ$3.76

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

37.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.25 NZ$5.52

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

20.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.06 NZ$6.90

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

74.25%

Potato (1kg)

$2.07 NZ$3.51

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

8.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.63 NZ$2.78

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-25.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.88 NZ$3.19

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

77.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 NZ$2.02

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

65.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.89 NZ$42.31

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

695.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.67 NZ$14.74

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-63.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.59 NZ$2.70

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

-41.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.19 NZ$2.03

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

-58.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.09 NZ$3.56

$0.29 Rp 5,010

620.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.0 NZ$110

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

695.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 NZ$3.50

$0.45 Rp 7,834

357.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 NZ$3.23

$0.42 Rp 7,278

352.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.67 NZ$58.9

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

462.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.70 NZ$2.89

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

102.38%

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

$27.9K NZ$47.4K

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

6.32%

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

$9,522 NZ$16.2K

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

-70.68%

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

$127 NZ$217

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

62.41%

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

$30.74 NZ$52.3

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

678.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$47.69 NZ$81.1

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

95.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.89 NZ$62.7

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-61.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.96 NZ$20.34

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

88.35%

Cinema Ticket

$8.82 NZ$14.99

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

118.32%

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

$920 NZ$1,565

$303 Rp 5.2M

204.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.5K NZ$23.0K

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

107.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.5 NZ$122

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

32.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.49 NZ$73.9

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

14.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.9 NZ$156

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

5.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 NZ$216

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

61.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$957 NZ$1,626

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

-5.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$801 NZ$1,361

$674 Rp 11.6M

18.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 NZ$2,705

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-53.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,420 NZ$2,413

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-32.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,781 NZ$8,128

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

60.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,447 NZ$5,859

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

47.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,162 NZ$7,075

$173 Rp 3.0M

2303.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

13.28

-52.03%

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

Last update for Whakatane: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $957 in Whakatane and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Whakatane pays 2304% 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: $73.0 in Whakatane vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $287 vs $298, with Whakatane cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 27% lower than in Whakatane. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Whakatane pays 2304% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $957 in Whakatane versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $920 in Whakatane versus $303 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Whakatane pay roughly 4% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,438 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,828 in Whakatane, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Whakatane. 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 $1,438 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Whakatane 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 27% less than in Whakatane. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.