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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,701 in Whanganui versus $1,438 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,719 in Whanganui versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,737 in Whanganui versus $3,732 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Whanganui is roughly 18% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whanganui 27% above, Ubud, Bali 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 NZ$25.65

$3.57 Rp 61.6K

322.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.7 NZ$122

$32.58 Rp 562.6K

120.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 NZ$15.19

$5.07 Rp 87.5K

76.33%

Cappuccino

$3.25 NZ$5.52

$2.83 Rp 48.8K

14.84%

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

$2.38 NZ$4.05

$1.34 Rp 23.1K

77.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 NZ$2.83

$0.69 Rp 12.0K

140.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.85 NZ$8.24

$2.99 Rp 51.6K

62.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.27 NZ$8.96

$3.85 Rp 66.4K

36.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.94

$1.74 Rp 30.1K

-0.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.65 NZ$2.80

$2.54 Rp 43.8K

-35.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.38

$1.19 Rp 20.6K

67.23%

Eggs

$5.88 NZ$10.00

$2.43 Rp 41.9K

141.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.49 NZ$12.73

$14.66 Rp 253.2K

-48.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.31 NZ$15.83

$4.18 Rp 72.1K

122.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.52 NZ$21.29

$11.94 Rp 206.1K

4.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 NZ$4.05

$3.69 Rp 63.6K

-35.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.23

$1.61 Rp 27.7K

18.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.53 NZ$4.31

$2.69 Rp 46.4K

-5.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.41 NZ$5.80

$2.33 Rp 40.2K

46.35%

Potato (1kg)

$2.17 NZ$3.69

$1.91 Rp 32.9K

13.61%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NZ$3.68

$2.19 Rp 37.7K

-1.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 NZ$3.49

$1.06 Rp 18.3K

93.40%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 NZ$0.95

$0.72 Rp 12.5K

-22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$20.65 NZ$35.11

$3.13 Rp 54.1K

559.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.53 NZ$17.91

$23.49 Rp 405.6K

-55.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 NZ$4.31

$2.74 Rp 47.3K

-7.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 NZ$4.46

$2.88 Rp 49.7K

-9.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.14 NZ$3.64

$0.29 Rp 5,010

637.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.2 NZ$109

$8.17 Rp 141.0K

686.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.78 NZ$4.72

$0.45 Rp 7,834

517.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 NZ$3.16

$0.42 Rp 7,278

342.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.68 NZ$60.7

$6.16 Rp 106.3K

479.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.73 NZ$2.93

$0.84 Rp 14.5K

105.95%

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

$27.7K NZ$47.1K

$26.2K Rp 453.1M

5.46%

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

$23.2K NZ$39.5K

$32.5K Rp 560.8M

-28.50%

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

$117 NZ$198

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

48.78%

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

$36.89 NZ$62.7

$3.95 Rp 68.2K

833.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.38 NZ$82.3

$24.40 Rp 421.4K

98.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$36.83 NZ$62.6

$96.5 Rp 1.7M

-61.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.17 NZ$20.69

$6.35 Rp 109.6K

91.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 NZ$12.66

$4.04 Rp 69.7K

84.41%

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

$362 NZ$616

$303 Rp 5.2M

19.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K NZ$20.8K

$6,523 Rp 112.6M

87.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.5 NZ$117

$53.8 Rp 929.5K

27.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.87 NZ$62.7

$37.98 Rp 655.8K

-2.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.0 NZ$165

$86.8 Rp 1.5M

11.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$126 NZ$215

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

60.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,226 NZ$2,085

$1,012 Rp 17.5M

21.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$716 NZ$1,217

$674 Rp 11.6M

6.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,596 NZ$2,713

$3,390 Rp 58.5M

-52.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,362 NZ$2,316

$2,098 Rp 36.2M

-35.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,985 Rp 51.5M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,339 Rp 40.4M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,407 NZ$2,392

$173 Rp 3.0M

712.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.69

13.28

-49.62%

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

Last update for Whanganui: April 27, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,226 in Whanganui and $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Whanganui pays 713% 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: $72.0 in Whanganui vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $287 vs $298, with Whanganui 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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 18% lower than in Whanganui. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Whanganui pays 713% 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: $1,226 in Whanganui versus $1,012 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $362 in Whanganui versus $303 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Whanganui 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 $1,701 in Whanganui, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Whanganui. 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, Whanganui 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 18% less than in Whanganui. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.