Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Rio de Janeiro Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Rio de Janeiro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,404 in Ubud, Bali versus $952 in Rio de Janeiro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,549 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,490 in Rio de Janeiro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,694 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,029 in Rio de Janeiro.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 48% more expensive than Rio de Janeiro, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 4% above, Rio de Janeiro is 29% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$7.33 R$37.12

-51.30%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$36.43 R$184

-10.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$6.27 R$31.74

-22.49%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$1.98 R$10.00

38.89%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.27 R$6.42

3.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$0.84 R$4.27

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$1.77 R$8.98

64.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.77 R$14.04

36.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.11 R$5.60

54.05%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.71 R$8.65

44.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.48 R$7.48

-18.92%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$2.00 R$10.11

22.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$7.77 R$39.35

85.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$3.63 R$18.35

18.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$8.07 R$40.88

51.30%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$2.31 R$11.67

59.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.57 R$7.97

-1.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.46 R$7.39

91.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$1.52 R$7.67

53.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$1.26 R$6.38

56.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$1.16 R$5.87

99.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.64 R$3.26

65.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.57 R$2.88

28.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$1.95 R$9.86

68.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$8.54 R$43.22

166.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$1.22 R$6.16

130.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$2.05 R$10.40

35.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$1.25 R$6.31

-76.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$39.19 R$198

-79.43%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$1.12 R$5.67

-59.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.67 R$3.37

-32.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$7.43 R$37.61

-16.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.12 R$5.66

-24.11%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$20.5K R$103.6K

26.92%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$27.1K R$137.0K

17.01%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$103 R$519

-21.27%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$12.09 R$61.2

-66.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$19.19 R$97.1

27.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$26.29 R$133

271.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$23.69 R$120

-72.77%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$6.46 R$32.71

-37.46%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$537 R$2,716

-43.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$11.7K R$59.1K

-43.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$45.16 R$229

20.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$41.03 R$208

-5.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$75.6 R$383

13.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$59.9 R$303

28.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$440 R$2,225

124.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$325 R$1,645

102.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$857 R$4,341

292.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$576 R$2,917

258.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$3,415 R$17.3K

-19.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$1,469 R$7,437

51.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$536 R$2,714

-69.51%

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 9, 2026

Last update for Rio de Janeiro: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $986 in Ubud, Bali and $440 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rio de Janeiro pays 228% 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 $36.00 in Rio de Janeiro. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $185, with Rio de Janeiro cheaper for home cooking.

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 Rio de Janeiro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Rio de Janeiro differ by about 48% in total monthly costs ($1,404 vs $952 including rent). Rio de Janeiro is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Rio de Janeiro earns 228% 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: $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $440 in Rio de Janeiro. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rio de Janeiro – a meal for two runs $36.00 versus $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $952 in Rio de Janeiro – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $952 in Rio de Janeiro versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rio de Janeiro but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro 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 Rio de Janeiro gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.