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

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 70% more expensive than Macaé, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$5.64 R$28.57

-36.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$34.48 R$175

-5.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$6.42 R$32.52

-22.90%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$1.89 R$9.55

43.39%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$1.22 R$6.19

9.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.84 R$4.27

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$1.82 R$9.20

60.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$2.12 R$10.76

86.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.05 R$5.33

72.38%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.64 R$8.31

53.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.29 R$6.53

-10.08%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$2.01 R$10.17

22.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$7.75 R$39.22

89.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$3.65 R$18.48

18.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$6.31 R$31.97

92.39%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$2.43 R$12.30

58.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.23 R$6.25

26.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$1.15 R$5.84

146.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$1.38 R$7.01

68.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$1.11 R$5.61

72.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$1.11 R$5.63

98.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$0.68 R$3.46

48.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.46 R$2.34

69.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$1.99 R$10.08

66.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$6.03 R$30.56

293.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$0.86 R$4.34

224.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$1.15 R$5.84

148.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.69 R$3.51

-60.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$74.7 R$378

-89.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

$1.11 R$5.64

-58.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$0.69 R$3.51

-34.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$7.77 R$39.34

-21.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.07 R$5.40

-26.17%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$18.4K R$93.0K

42.42%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

$27.6K R$139.8K

16.36%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$59.7 R$302

33.93%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$9.69 R$49.05

-58.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$18.73 R$94.8

25.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$38.82 R$197

154.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$27.30 R$138

-75.71%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$6.26 R$31.69

-33.71%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$535 R$2,710

-43.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$6,559 R$33.2K

0.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$45.28 R$229

22.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$29.29 R$148

30.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$72.2 R$365

22.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$60.8 R$308

27.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

$353 R$1,789

184.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$230 R$1,163

193.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$660 R$3,343

421.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$502 R$2,541

306.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$1,243 R$6,293

128.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$784 R$3,972

188.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$780 R$3,948

-78.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.25

18.04%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Macaé: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $353 in Macaé. 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: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Macaé. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $164, 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

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

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

On paper, Macaé earns 372% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $353 in Macaé. 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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $836 in Macaé – 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, Ubud, Bali and Macaé 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.