Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Recife Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Recife

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,368 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $880 in Recife, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,348 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,445 in Recife, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,327 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,010 in Recife, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 55% more than Recife, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 0% above the global median, while Recife is 36% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

$5.32 R$27.42

-35.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

$37.12 R$191

-2.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

$9.72 R$50.1

-41.26%

Cappuccino

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

$2.44 R$12.55

9.43%

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

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

$1.02 R$5.28

71.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.64 R$3.28

35.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

$1.59 R$8.17

85.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

$3.05 R$15.70

48.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.39 R$7.18

16.55%

White Bread (500g)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.60 R$8.22

45.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

$1.55 R$8.00

-28.39%

Eggs

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

$1.87 R$9.66

17.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

$6.93 R$35.71

155.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

$4.51 R$23.23

-9.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

$7.92 R$40.78

53.79%

Apples (1kg)

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

$1.34 R$6.89

176.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

$1.35 R$6.97

17.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

$0.76 R$3.92

200.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

$1.20 R$6.17

62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

$1.38 R$7.09

38.41%

Onion (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

$1.04 R$5.37

124.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

$0.51 R$2.64

98.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,773

$0.84 R$4.32

-34.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

$1.77 R$9.10

25.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

$7.79 R$40.15

196.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

$1.14 R$5.86

112.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

$1.55 R$7.99

93.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,814

$0.84 R$4.35

-67.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

$37.92 R$195

-76.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,566

$1.23 R$6.35

-60.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,679

$0.75 R$3.87

-42.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

$3.48 R$17.92

62.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

$1.26 R$6.48

-36.51%

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

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

$23.3K R$120.3K

6.85%

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

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

$31.7K R$163.5K

-0.05%

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

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

$114 R$587

-28.45%

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

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

$13.04 R$67.2

-50.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

$17.02 R$87.7

10.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

$20.68 R$107

175.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

$33.57 R$173

-44.21%

Cinema Ticket

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

$8.23 R$42.42

-44.84%

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

$481 Rp 8.5M

$277 R$1,428

73.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

$11.7K R$60.0K

-51.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

$43.62 R$225

4.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

$47.98 R$247

-25.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$74.8 R$386

7.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

$79.0 R$407

-0.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

$507 R$2,614

119.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$698 Rp 12.4M

$258 R$1,328

170.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

$866 R$4,463

319.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

$608 R$3,135

185.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

$1,963 R$10.1K

41.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

$1,053 R$5,423

117.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$168 Rp 3.0M

$412 R$2,122

-59.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

11.75

17.28%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Last update for Recife: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,115 in Ubud, Bali versus $507 in Recife. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 145% higher in Recife, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $37.00 in Recife. Groceries tell a different story – $295 in Ubud, Bali vs $177 in Recife – so Recife wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Recife: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 55% more than Recife, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,052 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,321 in Recife. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Recife, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $481 per month in Ubud, Bali and $277 in Recife. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 66% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Recife, where all-in costs run around $880, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,368. In Recife it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Recife costs $880 versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Recife. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.