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: $1,693 in Whangarei versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,627 in Whangarei versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,561 in Whangarei versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Whangarei 27% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.27 NZ$36.50

$3.45 Rp 61.8K

516.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$85.1 NZ$146

$32.34 Rp 579.0K

163.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.43 NZ$17.90

$4.84 Rp 86.7K

115.50%

Cappuccino

$4.00 NZ$6.87

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

45.45%

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

$2.15 NZ$3.69

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

55.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 NZ$2.91

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

126.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.41 NZ$11.00

$2.99 Rp 53.6K

114.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.20 NZ$14.07

$3.85 Rp 68.9K

112.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 NZ$3.35

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

12.07%

White Bread (500g)

$2.19 NZ$3.76

$2.46 Rp 44.0K

-10.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 NZ$3.41

$1.17 Rp 20.9K

70.09%

Eggs

$6.62 NZ$11.36

$2.43 Rp 43.5K

172.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.81 NZ$16.84

$14.50 Rp 259.7K

-32.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.71 NZ$18.38

$4.35 Rp 77.9K

146.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.50 NZ$28.32

$11.98 Rp 214.5K

37.73%

Apples (1kg)

$3.03 NZ$5.20

$3.72 Rp 66.6K

-18.55%

Banana (1kg)

$2.40 NZ$4.11

$1.63 Rp 29.1K

47.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.02 NZ$5.18

$2.74 Rp 49.1K

10.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.48 NZ$7.68

$2.24 Rp 40.1K

100.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.54 NZ$4.36

$1.92 Rp 34.3K

32.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 NZ$3.37

$2.28 Rp 40.7K

-14.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.44 NZ$4.19

$1.06 Rp 19.0K

130.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 NZ$1.91

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

54.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$24.06 NZ$41.29

$3.29 Rp 58.8K

631.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.66 NZ$16.57

$23.19 Rp 415.3K

-58.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.37 NZ$4.07

$2.78 Rp 49.7K

-14.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.88 NZ$4.94

$2.73 Rp 48.9K

5.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 NZ$3.05

$0.27 Rp 4,768

559.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$140 NZ$240

$8.11 Rp 145.1K

1624.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.82 NZ$6.56

$0.48 Rp 8,643

695.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.61 NZ$2.76

$0.42 Rp 7,517

283.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.60 NZ$25.06

$6.22 Rp 111.4K

134.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 NZ$2.85

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

104.94%

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

$45.5K NZ$78.0K

$26.6K Rp 476.4M

70.84%

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

$22.1K NZ$38.0K

$32.2K Rp 576.3M

-31.29%

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

$135 NZ$232

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

72.50%

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

$39.36 NZ$67.5

$4.07 Rp 72.8K

867.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$53.6 NZ$91.9

$24.33 Rp 435.5K

120.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.35 NZ$64.1

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-62.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.07 NZ$5.27

$6.34 Rp 113.4K

-51.58%

Cinema Ticket

$10.96 NZ$18.82

$3.99 Rp 71.4K

174.69%

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

$775 NZ$1,331

$305 Rp 5.5M

154.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K NZ$21.1K

$6,642 Rp 118.9M

84.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.9 NZ$115

$54.1 Rp 969.3K

23.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.30 NZ$58.9

$37.81 Rp 676.9K

-9.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 NZ$143

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

-4.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 NZ$175

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

33.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$545 NZ$935

$992 Rp 17.8M

-45.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$471 NZ$808

$673 Rp 12.0M

-30.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 NZ$1,727

$3,375 Rp 60.4M

-70.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$769 NZ$1,320

$2,050 Rp 36.7M

-62.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,338 NZ$7,445

$2,805 Rp 50.2M

54.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,391 NZ$5,819

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

52.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,474 NZ$4,245

$167 Rp 3.0M

1381.61%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $545 in Whangarei and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Whangarei pays 1382% 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 $32.00 in Ubud, Bali for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $344 vs $297 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.

Average pay runs 1382% higher in Whangarei, 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: $545 in Whangarei versus $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $775 in Whangarei versus $305 in Ubud, Bali. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Whangarei. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,693 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 $1,408 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.