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 $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $903 in Fortaleza, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,363 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,343 in Fortaleza, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,347 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,783 in Fortaleza, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 53% more than Fortaleza, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 1% above the global median, while Fortaleza is 34% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$5.90 R$30.63

-43.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$28.75 R$149

35.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$7.87 R$40.88

-28.59%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.13 R$11.04

23.94%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.14 R$5.95

38.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$0.61 R$3.17

16.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$2.12 R$11.02

28.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$3.90 R$20.26

10.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.09 R$5.64

41.28%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.92 R$9.96

19.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.09 R$5.67

-5.50%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$1.89 R$9.79

12.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$7.94 R$41.25

117.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$4.07 R$21.11

-0.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$8.71 R$45.25

42.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$2.73 R$14.18

35.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.34 R$6.96

20.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$0.75 R$3.92

202.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$1.61 R$8.39

23.60%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$1.32 R$6.87

38.64%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$1.10 R$5.73

104.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.93 R$4.83

11.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$1.01 R$5.25

-44.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$2.07 R$10.73

7.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$6.57 R$34.13

253.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$1.50 R$7.80

59.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$1.56 R$8.10

83.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$0.93 R$4.83

-73.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

$19.42 R$101

-63.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$1.38 R$7.14

-66.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.81 R$4.23

-43.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$7.10 R$36.87

-19.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.28 R$6.64

-40.63%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$22.5K R$116.8K

9.26%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$30.4K R$157.6K

2.21%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$121 R$626

-31.83%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$10.85 R$56.4

-41.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$20.14 R$105

-7.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$25.49 R$132

119.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

$41.46 R$215

-55.60%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$5.70 R$29.59

-25.26%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$192 R$996

155.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$3,733 R$19.4K

55.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$62.7 R$325

-26.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$58.6 R$304

-38.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$120 R$622

-33.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$67.1 R$348

20.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$454 R$2,359

151.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$221 R$1,150

212.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$552 R$2,864

540.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$339 R$1,762

403.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$2,575 R$13.4K

8.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$1,118 R$5,806

102.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$464 R$2,410

-63.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.38

21.09%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Fortaleza: August 17, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $454 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 174% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $29.00 in Fortaleza. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $293 vs $191 – making Fortaleza the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 53% 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 $2,069 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,355 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $29.00 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 $1,379 in Ubud, Bali and $903 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 $903, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,379. 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 $903 versus $1,379 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.