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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $836 in Macaé versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,343 in Macaé versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,851 in Macaé versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Macaé costs roughly 41% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Macaé is 38% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.64 R$28.57

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

58.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$34.48 R$175

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

5.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.42 R$32.52

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

29.70%

Cappuccino

$1.89 R$9.55

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

-30.26%

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

$1.22 R$6.19

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

-8.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 R$4.27

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.82 R$9.20

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

-37.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 R$10.76

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

-46.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 R$5.33

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

-41.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.64 R$8.31

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

-34.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.29 R$6.53

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

11.21%

Eggs

$2.01 R$10.17

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

-18.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.75 R$39.22

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

-47.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 R$18.48

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

-15.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.31 R$31.97

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

-48.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 R$12.30

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

-36.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.23 R$6.25

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

-21.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.15 R$5.84

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

-59.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 R$7.01

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

-40.77%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.61

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

-41.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 R$5.63

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

-49.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.46

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

-32.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.46 R$2.34

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

-41.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.99 R$10.08

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

-40.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.03 R$30.56

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

-74.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 R$4.34

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-69.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 R$5.84

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

-59.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.69 R$3.51

$0.27 Rp 4,848

155.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.7 R$378

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

830.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.64

$0.46 Rp 8,230

141.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 R$3.51

$0.45 Rp 8,116

53.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.77 R$39.34

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

27.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.40

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

35.44%

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

$18.4K R$93.0K

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

-29.79%

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

$27.6K R$139.8K

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

-14.06%

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

$59.7 R$302

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

-25.33%

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

$9.69 R$49.05

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

138.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.73 R$94.8

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

-20.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.82 R$197

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-60.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.30 R$138

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

311.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.26 R$31.69

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

50.84%

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

$535 R$2,710

$304 Rp 5.5M

76.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,559 R$33.2K

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

-0.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.28 R$229

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

-18.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.29 R$148

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

-23.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 R$365

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-18.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.8 R$308

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-21.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$353 R$1,789

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

-64.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$230 R$1,163

$675 Rp 12.2M

-65.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$660 R$3,343

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

-80.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$502 R$2,541

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

-75.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,243 R$6,293

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

-56.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$784 R$3,972

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

-65.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$780 R$3,948

$165 Rp 3.0M

371.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.25

13.28

-15.29%

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

Last update for Macaé: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $353 in Macaé and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macaé pays 372% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $34.00 in Macaé vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $164 vs $302, with Macaé 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

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

Macaé and Ubud, Bali differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($836 vs $1,419 including rent). Macaé is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Macaé pays 372% 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: $353 in Macaé versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Macaé – a meal for two runs $34.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $836 per month in Macaé versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 70% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $836 in Macaé versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Macaé but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Macaé the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Macaé 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 Macaé gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.