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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $738 in Nova Iguacu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,348 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,203 in Nova Iguacu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,327 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,667 in Nova Iguacu.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 85% more expensive than in Nova Iguacu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 0% above, Nova Iguacu is 46% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 61.0K

$3.43 R$17.66

0.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 644.2K

$29.27 R$151

24.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.2K

$7.46 R$38.36

-23.46%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.4K

$1.91 R$9.84

39.79%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.14 R$5.85

53.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.5K

$0.53 R$2.74

64.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.4K

$1.64 R$8.43

79.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.2K

$1.59 R$8.16

184.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.17 R$6.04

38.46%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.60 R$8.21

45.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.13 R$5.80

-1.77%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$2.00 R$10.29

10.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.9K

$8.04 R$41.36

120.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.7K

$2.75 R$14.14

49.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 216.0K

$7.14 R$36.73

70.59%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.8K

$1.38 R$7.08

168.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.2K

$1.37 R$7.06

16.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.5K

$0.94 R$4.85

142.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.7K

$1.77 R$9.08

10.17%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.8K

$1.00 R$5.14

91.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.4K

$0.94 R$4.82

147.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.9K

$0.37 R$1.92

172.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,791

$0.37 R$1.93

48.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.6K

$1.82 R$9.37

22.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 409.3K

$5.82 R$29.92

296.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.9K

$0.93 R$4.79

160.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.2K

$1.39 R$7.14

115.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,823

$1.38 R$7.07

-80.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.4K

$48.44 R$249

-81.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,582

$1.25 R$6.45

-61.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,693

$1.39 R$7.15

-69.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 100.1K

$9.59 R$49.30

-41.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.3K

$1.10 R$5.66

-27.27%

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

$24.9K Rp 442.5M

$22.9K R$117.9K

8.77%

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

$31.7K Rp 562.6M

$32.8K R$168.8K

-3.40%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$45.61 R$235

78.60%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.2K

$11.81 R$60.8

-45.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 333.0K

$17.89 R$92.0

4.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$23.56 R$121

141.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 332.3K

$38.38 R$197

-51.20%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.5K

$5.81 R$29.88

-21.86%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$72.8 R$374

560.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.3M

$1,878 R$9,657

204.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 807.5K

$53.9 R$277

-15.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 636.6K

$37.27 R$192

-3.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$63.9 R$328

25.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$58.3 R$300

34.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.8M

$315 R$1,618

254.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$211 R$1,083

231.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.5M

$620 R$3,189

486.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$443 R$2,277

292.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.4M

$936 R$4,812

197.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.6M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$235 R$1,210

-28.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.12

23.92%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Nova Iguacu: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali and $315 in Nova Iguacu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nova Iguacu pays 40% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $36.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $29.00 in Nova Iguacu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $295 vs $157 per month, with Nova Iguacu 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 Iguacu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Nova Iguacu differ by about 85% in total monthly costs ($1,368 vs $738 including rent). Nova Iguacu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 40% lower in Nova Iguacu. 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: $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $315 in Nova Iguacu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $738 in Nova Iguacu – a 85% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Nova Iguacu runs roughly 439% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $738 in Nova Iguacu versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nova Iguacu but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Nova Iguacu 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 Nova Iguacu 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 Iguacu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 85% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.