Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Ubud, Bali Cost of Living Comparison Between Rio de Janeiro and Ubud, Bali

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,479 in Rio de Janeiro versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,997 in Rio de Janeiro versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Rio de Janeiro costs roughly 32% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Rio de Janeiro is 28% below, Ubud, Bali is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.20 R$36.43

$3.56 Rp 63.9K

102.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.52 R$180

$32.73 Rp 586.8K

8.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.44 R$32.61

$4.95 Rp 88.7K

30.10%

Cappuccino

$1.97 R$9.99

$2.71 Rp 48.6K

-27.31%

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

$1.27 R$6.45

$1.34 Rp 24.1K

-5.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.90 R$4.54

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.76 R$8.93

$2.92 Rp 52.3K

-39.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 R$13.58

$3.96 Rp 70.9K

-32.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 R$5.88

$1.81 Rp 32.4K

-35.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 R$8.59

$2.52 Rp 45.1K

-32.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.41 R$7.14

$1.16 Rp 20.8K

21.55%

Eggs

$2.00 R$10.11

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

-18.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.05 R$40.72

$14.71 Rp 263.7K

-45.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 R$18.31

$4.32 Rp 77.4K

-16.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.20 R$41.49

$12.14 Rp 217.5K

-32.45%

Apples (1kg)

$2.40 R$12.13

$3.84 Rp 68.8K

-37.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 R$7.99

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

1.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 R$7.56

$2.83 Rp 50.8K

-47.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.56 R$7.89

$2.33 Rp 41.7K

-33.05%

Potato (1kg)

$1.30 R$6.60

$1.91 Rp 34.3K

-31.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 R$5.58

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 R$3.46

$1.01 Rp 18.2K

-32.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 R$2.93

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

-25.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.95 R$9.86

$3.32 Rp 59.4K

-41.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.73 R$44.17

$23.74 Rp 425.5K

-63.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.14

$2.79 Rp 50.0K

-56.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 R$10.89

$2.86 Rp 51.3K

-24.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.23 R$6.23

$0.27 Rp 4,819

355.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.30 R$199

$8.03 Rp 143.9K

389.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.11 R$5.63

$0.46 Rp 8,181

141.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.71 R$3.61

$0.45 Rp 8,068

57.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.37 R$37.30

$6.10 Rp 109.3K

20.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 R$5.43

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

35.44%

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

$20.4K R$103.0K

$26.1K Rp 468.8M

-22.16%

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

$27.1K R$137.1K

$32.1K Rp 575.8M

-15.64%

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

$104 R$525

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

29.86%

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

$12.18 R$61.6

$4.06 Rp 72.9K

200.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.70 R$94.6

$23.52 Rp 421.6K

-20.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.68 R$130

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-73.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.37 R$123

$6.63 Rp 118.8K

267.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 R$33.41

$4.15 Rp 74.3K

59.04%

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

$542 R$2,742

$304 Rp 5.4M

78.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$11.8K R$59.7K

$6,613 Rp 118.5M

78.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 R$224

$55.5 Rp 995.6K

-20.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.91 R$212

$38.31 Rp 686.7K

9.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 R$389

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

-13.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$62.0 R$314

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

-20.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 R$2,218

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

-56.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$331 R$1,672

$675 Rp 12.1M

-51.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$838 R$4,242

$3,442 Rp 61.7M

-75.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 R$2,881

$2,039 Rp 36.6M

-72.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,356 R$17.0K

$2,841 Rp 50.9M

18.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,389 R$7,026

$2,264 Rp 40.6M

-38.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$548 R$2,773

$165 Rp 3.0M

231.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.33

13.28

-14.68%

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

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 1, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $438 in Rio de Janeiro and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 232% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $188 vs $302, with Rio de Janeiro 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

Rio de Janeiro vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rio de Janeiro and Ubud, Bali differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($960 vs $1,419 including rent). Rio de Janeiro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Rio de Janeiro pays 232% 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: $438 in Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro – a meal for two runs $36.00 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 $960 per month in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $960 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro 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, Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.