Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Nova Friburgo

For one person, living is cheaper in Nova Friburgo: $608 a month against $1,353 in Ubud, Bali, rent and utilities included – about $8,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Ubud, Bali
🇮🇩 Indonesia
$1,353
/mo nomad
Nova Friburgo
🇧🇷 Brazil
$608
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Ubud, Bali and in Nova Friburgo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Ubud, Bali and in Nova Friburgo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,353 in Ubud, Bali versus $608 in Nova Friburgo.

  • Ubud, Bali $1,353
  • Nova Friburgo $608

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,297 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,017 in Nova Friburgo.

  • Ubud, Bali $2,297
  • Nova Friburgo $1,017

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,241 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,426 in Nova Friburgo.

  • Ubud, Bali $3,241
  • Nova Friburgo $1,426

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 123% more expensive than in Nova Friburgo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Nova Friburgo is 55% below.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
Nova Friburgo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.23 Rp 58.1K
$6.05 R$30.66
-46.61%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$34.88 Rp 627.8K
$29.82 R$151
16.97%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.70 Rp 102.5K
$6.36 R$32.25
-10.38%
Cappuccino
$2.62 Rp 47.1K
$1.75 R$8.88
49.71%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 Rp 31.0K
$0.91 R$4.61
89.01%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.81 Rp 14.6K
$0.57 R$2.88
42.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.65 Rp 47.7K
$1.22 R$6.17
117.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$4.37 Rp 78.6K
$2.42 R$12.28
80.58%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
Nova Friburgo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.57 Rp 28.3K
$1.02 R$5.15
53.92%
White Bread (500g)
$2.19 Rp 39.5K
$1.49 R$7.55
46.98%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.18 Rp 21.2K
$1.37 R$6.94
-13.87%
Eggs
$2.16 Rp 38.8K
$1.97 R$9.98
9.64%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.65 Rp 317.7K
$8.78 R$44.51
101.03%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.78 Rp 68.0K
$3.32 R$16.84
13.86%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.95 Rp 215.1K
$9.63 R$48.83
24.09%
Apples (1kg)
$3.60 Rp 64.8K
$1.63 R$8.25
120.86%
Banana (1kg)
$1.59 Rp 28.6K
$1.20 R$6.09
32.50%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.31 Rp 41.6K
$0.98 R$4.96
135.71%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.91 Rp 34.3K
$1.26 R$6.41
51.59%
Potato (1kg)
$1.78 Rp 32.1K
$0.70 R$3.56
154.29%
Onion (1kg)
$2.33 Rp 41.9K
$0.86 R$4.37
170.93%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.00 Rp 18.0K
$0.57 R$2.90
75.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.53 Rp 9,509
$0.82 R$4.14
-35.37%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$2.29 Rp 41.1K
$1.57 R$7.94
45.86%
Wine (Bottle)
$22.07 Rp 397.3K
$6.04 R$30.60
265.40%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.35 Rp 42.2K
$0.97 R$4.90
142.27%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.98 Rp 53.6K
$1.37 R$6.95
117.52%
🚌 Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
Nova Friburgo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.23 Rp 4,112
$0.98 R$4.98
-76.53%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$8.90 Rp 160.2K
-
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.47 Rp 8,466
$1.21 R$6.12
-61.16%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.43 Rp 7,737
$0.55 R$2.77
-21.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.47 Rp 98.4K
$6.71 R$34.02
-18.48%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$0.83 Rp 14.9K
$1.28 R$6.50
-35.16%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$23.9K Rp 429.8M
$19.7K R$99.7K
21.41%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$32.8K Rp 590.1M
$30.5K R$154.5K
7.55%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
Nova Friburgo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$80.0 Rp 1.4M
$40.04 R$203
99.78%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$6.56 Rp 118.1K
$9.52 R$48.26
-31.09%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$18.60 Rp 334.8K
$18.79 R$95.2
-1.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
Nova Friburgo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$54.1 Rp 974.1K
$21.63 R$110
150.21%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$18.28 Rp 329.0K
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.25 Rp 76.5K
$6.84 R$34.69
-37.87%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Ubud, Bali
Nova Friburgo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$493 Rp 8.9M
$142 R$719
247.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$5,597 Rp 100.7M
$2,604 R$13.2K
114.96%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
Nova Friburgo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.58 Rp 820.4K
$68.6 R$348
-33.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$34.96 Rp 629.4K
$83.6 R$424
-58.18%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.7 Rp 1.4M
$67.1 R$340
15.86%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.5 Rp 1.4M
$47.52 R$241
65.24%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
Nova Friburgo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,131 Rp 20.4M
$156 R$789
627.13%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$673 Rp 12.1M
$99.8 R$506
574.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,613 Rp 65.0M
$395 R$2,005
813.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,702 Rp 30.6M
$236 R$1,195
621.89%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,717 Rp 48.9M
$1,578 R$7,998
72.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,241 Rp 40.3M
$785 R$3,980
185.47%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Ubud, Bali
Nova Friburgo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$166 Rp 3.0M
$501 R$2,542
-66.82%
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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Nova Friburgo: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Ubud, Bali
$673
Nova Friburgo
$100 85.2% $573
Groceries & Markets
Ubud, Bali
$287
Nova Friburgo
$171 40.3% $116
Clothing & Footwear
Ubud, Bali
$107
Nova Friburgo
$120 12.7% $14
Eating Out
Ubud, Bali
$106
Nova Friburgo
$105 1% $1.1
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Ubud, Bali
$105
Nova Friburgo
$68 35% $37
Sport & Entertainment
Ubud, Bali
$63
Nova Friburgo
$35 43.6% $27
Getting Around
Ubud, Bali
$12
Nova Friburgo
$7.9 * 36.7% $4.6

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,131 in Ubud, Bali and $156 in Nova Friburgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nova Friburgo pays 201% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $35.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $30.00 in Nova Friburgo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $287 vs $171 per month, with Nova Friburgo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇮🇩 Ubud, Bali
🇧🇷 Nova Friburgo
🕒 Local time
21:25 9:25 PM
10:25 10:25 AM
11 h behind Ubud, Bali
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
74,800
189,939
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

BRL, USD, EUR to IDR – Indonesian Rupiah Converter

Indonesian Rupiah exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 18,000 IDR (100,000 IDR = 5.56 USD). 1 EUR = 20,236 IDR (100,000 IDR = 4.94 EUR).

Brazilian Real exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 5.07 BRL (1 BRL = 0.197 USD). 1 EUR = 5.7 BRL (1 BRL = 0.175 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Ubud, Bali Nova Friburgo 15,820 km ≈ 20 h nonstop flight
From you
  • Ubud, Bali
  • Nova Friburgo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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
Which city is more expensive, Ubud, Bali or Nova Friburgo?
Nova Friburgo wins on cost – living expenses run 123% 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.
Are salaries higher in Ubud, Bali or in Nova Friburgo?
On paper, salaries run 201% 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.
How much does a 1-bedroom apartment cost in Ubud, Bali compared to Nova Friburgo?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,131 in Ubud, Bali versus $156 in Nova Friburgo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Are groceries more expensive in Ubud, Bali or in Nova Friburgo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 68% higher in Ubud, Bali. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
How much does it cost to live in Ubud, Bali compared to Nova Friburgo?
All in, you'll spend $1,353 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $608 in Nova Friburgo – a 123% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Ubud, Bali or in Nova Friburgo?
At $608 in Nova Friburgo versus $1,353 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.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Ubud, Bali or Nova Friburgo?
Both work as nomad bases, but Nova Friburgo delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $608 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Nova Friburgo hard to pass up.
How safe is Ubud, Bali compared to Nova Friburgo?
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.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
Expats usually find Nova Friburgo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 123% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Ubud, Bali vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?