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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,162 in Bucharest versus $2,540 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,988 in Bucharest versus $3,660 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Bucharest costs roughly 6% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bucharest 0% above, Ubud, Bali 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$13.58 RON 61.5

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

281.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.1 RON 308

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

108.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 RON 36.42

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

62.63%

Cappuccino

$3.40 RON 15.38

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

25.46%

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

$2.32 RON 10.51

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

73.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 RON 10.75

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

240.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.54 RON 16.01

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

21.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.01 RON 18.16

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

1.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 RON 7.89

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

-3.87%

White Bread (500g)

$1.42 RON 6.42

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

-43.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.93 RON 8.73

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

66.38%

Eggs

$3.54 RON 16.01

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

43.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.27 RON 41.95

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

-36.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.13 RON 32.25

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

65.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.28 RON 55.6

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

1.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.35 RON 6.12

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

-64.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 RON 7.87

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 RON 7.99

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

-37.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.40 RON 10.85

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

3.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 RON 4.73

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

-45.03%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 RON 4.35

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

-56.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.92 RON 4.15

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

-8.91%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 RON 4.10

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.38 RON 28.85

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

92.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.45 RON 29.19

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

-72.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.22 RON 5.52

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

-56.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 RON 8.96

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

-30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.16 RON 5.27

$0.27 Rp 4,848

329.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.48 RON 88.1

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

142.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.72 RON 3.26

$0.46 Rp 8,230

56.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.62 RON 2.80

$0.45 Rp 8,116

37.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.94 RON 31.39

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

13.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.71 RON 7.76

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

116.46%

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

$29.0K RON 131.1K

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

10.82%

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

$30.3K RON 137.1K

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

-5.67%

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

$178 RON 804

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

122.32%

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

$9.16 RON 41.45

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

125.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 50.3

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

-52.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.7 RON 247

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

-44.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.04 RON 131

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

338.01%

Cinema Ticket

$9.27 RON 41.97

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

123.37%

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

$677 RON 3,063

$304 Rp 5.5M

122.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K RON 67.2K

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

124.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.8 RON 361

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

43.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.29 RON 205

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

18.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.2 RON 403

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

0.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 RON 494

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

40.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 2,996

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

-34.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$432 RON 1,955

$675 Rp 12.2M

-36.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,355 RON 6,133

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

-60.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 RON 3,806

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

-58.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,857 RON 17.5K

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

35.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,305 RON 10.4K

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

1.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,463 RON 6,623

$165 Rp 3.0M

785.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

7.1

13.28

-46.54%

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

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 786% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $68.0 in Bucharest vs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $233 vs $302, with Bucharest 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

Bucharest vs Ubud, Bali: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bucharest and Ubud, Bali differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,336 vs $1,419 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Bucharest pays 786% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $662 in Bucharest versus $1,006 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,336 per month in Bucharest versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 143% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,419 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest 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, Bucharest and Ubud, Bali 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 Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.