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: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $861 in Macaé.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,437 in Macaé.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,012 in Macaé.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 62% more expensive than in Macaé, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Macaé is 37% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$5.32 R$27.11

-36.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$29.32 R$150

31.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$6.82 R$34.77

-19.06%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$1.65 R$8.41

60.00%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$1.29 R$6.56

29.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.56 R$2.84

37.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$1.15 R$5.85

128.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$2.78 R$14.15

53.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$0.94 R$4.78

64.89%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$1.51 R$7.71

47.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$1.31 R$6.68

-13.74%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$1.87 R$9.53

11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$8.71 R$44.41

99.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$3.30 R$16.84

17.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$9.00 R$45.89

39.44%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$1.79 R$9.14

102.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$1.15 R$5.89

35.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$0.94 R$4.77

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$1.23 R$6.25

67.48%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$0.66 R$3.37

187.88%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$0.77 R$3.92

203.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.52 R$2.63

98.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$0.50 R$2.57

10.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$1.52 R$7.77

48.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$5.86 R$29.89

306.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$0.99 R$5.03

133.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$1.23 R$6.30

127.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$1.50 R$7.66

-82.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

$79.1 R$404

-89.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$1.33 R$6.77

-63.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

$0.71 R$3.65

-36.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$7.95 R$40.54

-28.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.21 R$6.18

-37.19%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

$20.6K R$105.1K

18.81%

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$30.2K R$153.9K

6.48%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$97.1 R$495

-13.97%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$9.78 R$49.90

-33.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$18.75 R$95.6

1.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$38.63 R$197

44.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

$29.33 R$150

-36.52%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$6.55 R$33.39

-34.66%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$632 R$3,221

-22.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

$6,807 R$34.7K

-13.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$61.9 R$316

-26.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$31.21 R$159

16.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$64.1 R$327

27.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$45.46 R$232

76.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$361 R$1,839

209.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$236 R$1,203

197.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$869 R$4,434

306.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$647 R$3,302

172.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

$1,227 R$6,260

130.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

$776 R$3,955

195.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$780 R$3,976

-78.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

10.67

29.15%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Macaé: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $361 in Macaé. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Macaé pays 359% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $39.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $29.00 in Macaé for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $163 per month, with Macaé cheaper across the board.

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 62% in total monthly costs ($1,396 vs $861 including rent). Macaé is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 359% lower in Macaé. 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: $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $361 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 $29.00 versus $39.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $861 in Macaé – a 62% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $861 in Macaé versus $1,396 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 62% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.