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: $1,847 in Whakatane versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,869 in Whakatane versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,890 in Whakatane versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Whakatane is roughly 35% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whakatane 35% above, Ubud, Bali 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.26 NZ$24.92

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

314.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$69.2 NZ$121

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

90.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.09 NZ$15.89

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

59.19%

Cappuccino

$3.37 NZ$5.89

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

26.22%

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

$2.11 NZ$3.68

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

20.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 NZ$3.15

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

106.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.25 NZ$10.93

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

111.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.54 NZ$11.43

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

44.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 NZ$3.48

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

22.84%

White Bread (500g)

$0.96 NZ$1.68

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-58.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.86 NZ$3.25

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

67.57%

Eggs

$5.60 NZ$9.79

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

154.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.21 NZ$14.35

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-53.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.12 NZ$15.94

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

122.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.02 NZ$28.01

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

31.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.52 NZ$4.41

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-32.08%

Banana (1kg)

$2.10 NZ$3.67

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

32.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.04 NZ$5.32

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

33.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 NZ$9.62

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

182.05%

Potato (1kg)

$2.13 NZ$3.72

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

11.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.62 NZ$2.83

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-30.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.95 NZ$3.41

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

93.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.10 NZ$1.91

$0.55 Rp 9,773

100.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$28.41 NZ$49.67

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

1173.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.53 NZ$14.91

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-63.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NZ$2.56

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

-39.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 NZ$2.05

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

-61.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 NZ$3.00

$0.27 Rp 4,814

537.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.4 NZ$153

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

873.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.27 NZ$3.98

$0.48 Rp 8,566

372.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.97 NZ$3.44

$0.43 Rp 7,679

358.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$32.94 NZ$57.6

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

484.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.87

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

105.00%

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

$26.0K NZ$45.4K

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

4.09%

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

$9,126 NZ$16.0K

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

-71.22%

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

$118 NZ$206

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

44.39%

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

$27.81 NZ$48.61

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

328.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$42.49 NZ$74.3

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

126.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.52 NZ$69.1

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-30.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 NZ$15.46

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

94.71%

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

$1,160 NZ$2,027

$481 Rp 8.5M

141.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K NZ$35.4K

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

254.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 NZ$119

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

49.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.37 NZ$72.3

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

15.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.7 NZ$152

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

7.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.9 NZ$129

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

-6.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$928 NZ$1,623

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-16.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$979 NZ$1,711

$698 Rp 12.4M

40.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,839 NZ$3,214

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-49.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,578 NZ$2,759

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-9.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,924 NZ$8,607

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

76.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,369 NZ$5,889

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

47.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,014 NZ$7,017

$168 Rp 3.0M

2288.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.4

13.78

-60.81%

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

Last update for Whakatane: September 14, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $928 in Whakatane and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Whakatane pays 2289% 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: $69.0 in Whakatane vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $300 vs $295 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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 35% 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.

Average pay runs 2289% higher in Whakatane, 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: $928 in Whakatane versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,160 in Whakatane versus $481 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Whakatane. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,847 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 $1,368 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 35% less than in Whakatane. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.