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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $733 in Nova Friburgo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,198 in Nova Friburgo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,663 in Nova Friburgo.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 94% more expensive than Nova Friburgo, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Nova Friburgo is 45% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$7.15 R$36.20

-50.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$31.81 R$161

2.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$5.90 R$29.88

-16.10%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$1.90 R$9.62

42.63%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$0.80 R$4.05

67.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.48 R$2.43

45.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$1.67 R$8.45

74.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$2.66 R$13.48

48.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$0.91 R$4.62

98.90%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.78 R$9.02

41.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.46 R$7.41

-20.55%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$2.00 R$10.11

23.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$8.00 R$40.48

83.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$3.67 R$18.56

17.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$8.08 R$40.92

50.25%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$1.40 R$7.08

174.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.57 R$7.97

-0.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$1.51 R$7.65

87.42%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$1.57 R$7.93

48.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$1.30 R$6.56

46.92%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$1.15 R$5.81

91.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$0.69 R$3.50

46.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.61 R$3.08

27.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$2.00 R$10.11

66.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$6.09 R$30.86

289.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.27 R$6.45

119.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$2.06 R$10.45

38.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$0.91 R$4.61

-70.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$38.86 R$197

-79.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

$1.06 R$5.39

-56.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$0.47 R$2.36

-4.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$5.99 R$30.31

1.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.03 R$5.20

-23.30%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$14.2K R$71.8K

84.45%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

$25.3K R$128.2K

26.85%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$36.60 R$185

118.42%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$8.52 R$43.12

-52.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$17.15 R$86.9

37.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$20.17 R$102

389.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$21.99 R$111

-69.85%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$6.46 R$32.69

-35.76%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$545 R$2,760

-44.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$11.8K R$59.7K

-43.88%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$44.96 R$228

23.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$41.34 R$209

-7.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$62.2 R$315

42.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$62.0 R$314

25.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

$311 R$1,573

223.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$218 R$1,102

210.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$583 R$2,950

490.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$433 R$2,193

370.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$1,615 R$8,179

75.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$808 R$4,090

180.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$510 R$2,585

-67.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

11.33

17.21%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nova Friburgo: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $311 in Nova Friburgo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nova Friburgo pays 209% 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 $32.00 in Nova Friburgo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $302 vs $177 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 94% 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, Nova Friburgo earns 209% 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 $311 in Nova Friburgo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $733 in Nova Friburgo – a 94% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nova Friburgo runs roughly 384% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $733 in Nova Friburgo versus $1,419 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 $733 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 94% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.