Background/Aims Nurse burnout is a major issue among nursing staff and can affect the quality of nursing care. Little is known about burnout among nurses working in intensive care units in developing countries, such as Indonesia. This study was conducted to investigate and compare the prevalence of nurse burnout in private and public hospitals in Bandung, Indonesia. Methods A cross-sectional approach was used in the intensive care units of one private and one public hospital in Bandung, Indonesia, from June to July 2019. The Maslach Burnout Inventory was used to measure burnout levels among nurses. Univariate and bivariate data analysis was used to interpret the results. Results A total of 52 public hospital nurses and 66 private hospital nurses were included in this study. Burnout levels varied significantly between these groups, with private hospital nurses experiencing higher levels of emotional exhaustion (32.43±12.67 vs 29.35±9.78) and depersonalisation (10.23±6.58 vs 7.89±3.67) than public hospital nurses. Conclusions Over one third of both private and public hospital nurses experienced high levels of burnout syndrome, with nurses in the private sector being particularly affected. It is crucial for both public and private hospitals in Indonesia to adapt their working environments to protect the wellbeing of staff and the safety of patients by reducing the risk of nurse burnout.