Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nova Friburgo Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nova Friburgo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,396 in Ubud, Bali versus $584 in Nova Friburgo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,334 in Ubud, Bali versus $982 in Nova Friburgo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,273 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,379 in Nova Friburgo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 139% more expensive than in Nova Friburgo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 2% above, Nova Friburgo is 58% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.7K

$5.92 R$30.21

-43.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 682.4K

$28.69 R$146

34.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.6K

$6.36 R$32.44

-13.21%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.8K

$1.65 R$8.40

60.00%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.6K

$0.91 R$4.63

83.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$0.51 R$2.62

50.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.6K

$1.19 R$6.07

121.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$2.29 R$11.66

86.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$0.93 R$4.75

66.67%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.3K

$1.46 R$7.45

52.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.9K

$1.32 R$6.71

-14.39%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.9K

$1.88 R$9.58

11.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 307.6K

$8.92 R$45.51

94.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.4K

$3.27 R$16.68

18.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.9K

$9.58 R$48.83

31.00%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.9K

$1.57 R$8.01

130.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.6K

$1.11 R$5.64

40.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.6K

$0.95 R$4.82

147.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.4K

$1.25 R$6.35

64.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.6K

$0.67 R$3.44

183.58%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.3K

$0.79 R$4.02

196.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.54 R$2.76

90.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,809

$0.79 R$4.02

-30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.8K

$1.53 R$7.79

47.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 421.0K

$5.72 R$29.17

316.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.9K

$0.94 R$4.79

145.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.5K

$1.32 R$6.74

112.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,816

$0.98 R$5.01

-72.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 153.2K

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,515

$1.14 R$5.79

-57.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,887

$0.49 R$2.51

-8.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 101.1K

$6.60 R$33.67

-13.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.22 R$6.24

-37.70%

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

$24.5K Rp 433.0M

$18.6K R$95.1K

31.30%

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

$32.1K Rp 568.0M

$30.4K R$154.8K

5.81%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$39.23 R$200

112.97%

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

$6.46 Rp 114.2K

$9.23 R$47.05

-30.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 335.9K

$18.43 R$94.0

3.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 989.8K

$21.40 R$109

161.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 329.2K

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.7K

$6.34 R$32.32

-32.49%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$140 R$714

247.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.6M

$2,496 R$12.7K

134.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 805.6K

$68.6 R$350

-33.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 643.3K

$81.1 R$414

-55.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$64.1 R$327

27.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$45.53 R$232

76.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$156 R$795

615.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$96.6 R$493

625.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.5M

$390 R$1,990

806.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.2M

$228 R$1,163

672.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 50.0M

$1,523 R$7,766

85.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.5M

$770 R$3,929

197.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$488 R$2,487

-65.18%

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 Nova Friburgo: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali and $156 in Nova Friburgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nova Friburgo pays 187% 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 Nova Friburgo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $293 vs $167 per month, with Nova Friburgo 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 Nova Friburgo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nova Friburgo wins on cost – living expenses run 139% lower than in Ubud, Bali. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Nova Friburgo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 187% lower in Nova Friburgo. 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 $156 in Nova Friburgo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 75% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $584 in Nova Friburgo – a 139% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $584 in Nova Friburgo versus $1,396 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Nova Friburgo but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Friburgo the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Nova Friburgo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $584 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nova Friburgo hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Nova Friburgo 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 Nova Friburgo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 139% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.