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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,698 in Whangarei versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,673 in Whangarei versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,648 in Whangarei versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Whangarei is roughly 20% more expensive than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whangarei 27% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.97 NZ$35.72

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

489.04%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$84.9 NZ$145

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

159.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.34 NZ$17.62

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

108.89%

Cappuccino

$3.82 NZ$6.51

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

40.96%

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

$2.17 NZ$3.69

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

61.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 NZ$2.99

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

150.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.40 NZ$10.90

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

119.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.99 NZ$13.61

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

101.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.32

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

7.73%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 NZ$3.69

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

-14.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.03 NZ$3.46

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

75.00%

Eggs

$6.73 NZ$11.46

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

173.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.73 NZ$16.57

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

-33.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 NZ$18.24

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

147.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.70 NZ$28.45

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

37.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.99 NZ$5.09

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

-22.14%

Banana (1kg)

$2.33 NZ$3.97

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

49.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.98 NZ$5.08

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

5.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.70 NZ$8.01

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

101.72%

Potato (1kg)

$2.58 NZ$4.39

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

35.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.90 NZ$3.23

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

-13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.46 NZ$4.19

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

143.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.12 NZ$1.90

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

43.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$23.68 NZ$40.33

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

613.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.19 NZ$17.36

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

-57.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 NZ$4.01

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-15.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 NZ$4.90

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

0.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 NZ$3.03

$0.27 Rp 4,848

559.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 NZ$235

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

1617.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 NZ$6.76

$0.46 Rp 8,230

763.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 NZ$2.79

$0.45 Rp 8,116

264.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.27 NZ$24.31

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

133.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.64 NZ$2.80

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

107.59%

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

$44.9K NZ$76.5K

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

71.83%

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

$22.3K NZ$38.1K

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

-30.44%

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

$132 NZ$224

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

64.75%

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

$39.38 NZ$67.1

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

869.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$52.9 NZ$90.1

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

124.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.94 NZ$64.6

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-61.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.07 NZ$5.24

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

-53.70%

Cinema Ticket

$10.65 NZ$18.15

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

156.63%

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

$783 NZ$1,333

$304 Rp 5.5M

157.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K NZ$20.6K

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

82.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 NZ$118

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

24.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.32 NZ$58.5

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

-10.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.7 NZ$139

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-7.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 NZ$173

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

30.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$544 NZ$927

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

-45.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$454 NZ$773

$675 Rp 12.2M

-32.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,012 NZ$1,724

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

-70.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$776 NZ$1,322

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

-61.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,472 NZ$7,618

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

57.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,393 NZ$5,780

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

49.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,515 NZ$4,285

$165 Rp 3.0M

1422.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

13.28

-49.55%

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

Last update for Whangarei: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $544 in Whangarei and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Whangarei pays 1422% 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: $85.0 in Whangarei vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $346 vs $302 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

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

Ubud, Bali wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Whangarei. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ubud, Bali the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Whangarei pays 1422% 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: $544 in Whangarei versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $783 in Whangarei versus $304 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Whangarei. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,698 in Whangarei, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Whangarei. 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 $1,419 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Ubud, Bali hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Whangarei 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 20% less than in Whangarei. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.