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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $825 per month in Fortaleza vs $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,273 per month in Fortaleza vs $2,549 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,720 per month in Fortaleza vs $3,694 in Ubud, Bali, rent included.

Fortaleza is about 41% cheaper than Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Fortaleza sits 39% below the global median, while Ubud, Bali is 4% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.29 R$26.76

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

48.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.61 R$175

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

6.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 R$36.09

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

46.71%

Cappuccino

$2.06 R$10.41

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

-25.09%

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

$1.11 R$5.60

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

-15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 R$3.16

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.01 R$10.19

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

-30.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.70 R$18.74

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

-2.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 R$5.56

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

-35.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 R$9.66

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

-22.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 R$5.79

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

-5.00%

Eggs

$1.83 R$9.24

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

-25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.09 R$35.91

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

-50.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.30 R$16.70

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

-23.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.27 R$41.89

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

-32.27%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 R$12.29

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

-33.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.81

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

-25.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.80 R$4.03

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

-71.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 R$7.64

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

-35.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.25 R$6.34

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

-36.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.06 R$5.37

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

-54.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 R$4.78

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-11.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 R$4.20

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

13.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.09 R$10.57

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

-36.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.69 R$33.89

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

-70.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 R$7.19

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

-49.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 R$8.17

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-42.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.83 R$4.20

$0.29 Rp 5,217

186.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.83 R$156

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

282.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.09 R$5.52

$0.45 Rp 8,047

142.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.75 R$3.81

$0.45 Rp 8,094

66.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.07 R$30.75

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

-2.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 R$5.60

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

30.59%

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

$20.0K R$101.1K

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

-23.12%

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

$27.6K R$139.8K

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

-12.76%

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

$106 R$538

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

31.63%

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

$15.52 R$78.6

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

282.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.92 R$90.7

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

-26.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.01 R$117

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

-76.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$42.75 R$216

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

562.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.31 R$31.97

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

56.19%

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

$226 R$1,144

$304 Rp 5.4M

-25.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$2,145 R$10.9K

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

-67.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.98 R$248

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

-9.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.90 R$222

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

13.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 R$471

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

8.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.7 R$297

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

-23.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$313 R$1,583

$986 Rp 17.7M

-68.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 R$992

$658 Rp 11.8M

-70.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 R$1,924

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

-88.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$339 R$1,718

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

-83.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,584 R$13.1K

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

-5.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,113 R$5,632

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

-50.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$465 R$2,355

$163 Rp 2.9M

184.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.79

13.28

-11.22%

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

Last update for Fortaleza: June 7, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $313 in Fortaleza versus $986 in Ubud, Bali. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 185% higher in Fortaleza, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Fortaleza versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries tell a different story – $178 in Fortaleza vs $297 in Ubud, Bali – so Fortaleza wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

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

Ubud, Bali costs about 70% more than Fortaleza, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,238 per month in Fortaleza and $2,106 in Ubud, Bali. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fortaleza, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $35.00 in Fortaleza and $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $825 in Fortaleza and $1,404 in Ubud, Bali. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Fortaleza, where all-in costs run around $825, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. In Fortaleza it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fortaleza costs $825 versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Fortaleza. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.