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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Ubud, Bali costs about 70% more than Fortaleza, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$5.29 R$26.76

-32.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$34.61 R$175

-6.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$7.13 R$36.09

-31.84%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.06 R$10.41

33.50%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.11 R$5.60

18.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.62 R$3.16

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.01 R$10.19

44.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$3.70 R$18.74

2.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.10 R$5.56

55.45%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.91 R$9.66

29.32%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.14 R$5.79

5.26%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$1.83 R$9.24

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$7.09 R$35.91

102.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$3.30 R$16.70

30.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$8.27 R$41.89

47.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.43 R$12.29

51.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.15 R$5.81

34.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$0.80 R$4.03

248.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.51 R$7.64

54.30%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.25 R$6.34

57.60%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.06 R$5.37

117.92%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.94 R$4.78

12.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.83 R$4.20

-12.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$2.09 R$10.57

56.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$6.69 R$33.89

240.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.42 R$7.19

97.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.61 R$8.17

72.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.83 R$4.20

-65.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$30.83 R$156

-73.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.09 R$5.52

-58.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.75 R$3.81

-40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$6.07 R$30.75

2.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.11 R$5.60

-23.42%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$20.0K R$101.1K

30.07%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$27.6K R$139.8K

14.63%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$106 R$538

-24.03%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$15.52 R$78.6

-73.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$17.92 R$90.7

36.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$23.01 R$117

324.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$42.75 R$216

-84.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$6.31 R$31.97

-35.97%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$226 R$1,144

34.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$2,145 R$10.9K

208.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$48.98 R$248

10.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$43.90 R$222

-11.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$93.1 R$471

-7.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$58.7 R$297

30.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$313 R$1,583

215.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$196 R$992

235.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$380 R$1,924

786.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$339 R$1,718

508.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$2,584 R$13.1K

6.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$1,113 R$5,632

100.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$465 R$2,355

-64.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.79

12.64%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 9, 2026

Last update for Fortaleza: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $313 in Fortaleza. 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $35.00 in Fortaleza. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $178 in Fortaleza – 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

Ubud, Bali vs Fortaleza: 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 $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,238 in Fortaleza. 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $35.00 in Fortaleza. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,404 in Ubud, Bali and $825 in Fortaleza. 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.