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: $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,133 in Bucharest versus $2,585 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,903 in Bucharest versus $3,763 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Bucharest costs roughly 3% less than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bucharest 2% above, Ubud, Bali 5% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.09 RON 64.7

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

308.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.8 RON 316

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

112.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.08 RON 37.07

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

66.94%

Cappuccino

$3.39 RON 15.56

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

23.27%

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

$2.24 RON 10.29

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

62.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 RON 11.10

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

222.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 RON 15.53

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.83 RON 17.58

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

-0.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 RON 7.89

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

-1.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.35 RON 6.20

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

-45.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.42

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

56.41%

Eggs

$3.65 RON 16.74

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

50.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 RON 42.35

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

-36.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.85 RON 31.46

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

57.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.03 RON 55.2

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.34 RON 6.15

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

-63.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 RON 7.90

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

5.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.34

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

-33.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 RON 10.98

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

6.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 RON 4.78

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

-45.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 RON 4.68

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

-55.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.98 RON 4.49

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

-7.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 RON 4.34

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

31.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.40 RON 29.36

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

94.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.50 RON 29.84

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

-71.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.69

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

-55.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 RON 8.87

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

-29.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.14 RON 5.22

$0.27 Rp 4,786

322.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.82 RON 91.0

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

144.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.71 RON 3.28

$0.48 Rp 8,675

47.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.65 RON 3.00

$0.42 Rp 7,545

54.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 RON 31.82

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

11.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.66 RON 7.60

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

104.94%

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

$29.0K RON 132.9K

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

8.80%

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

$30.1K RON 138.0K

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

-6.58%

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

$183 RON 842

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

134.09%

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

$8.95 RON 41.09

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

119.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 RON 51.1

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

-54.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$54.4 RON 250

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

-44.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.49 RON 135

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

365.14%

Cinema Ticket

$9.13 RON 41.92

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

128.82%

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

$676 RON 3,105

$305 Rp 5.5M

121.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.3K RON 65.7K

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

115.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.1 RON 372

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

49.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.42 RON 204

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

17.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.8 RON 412

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

3.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 RON 497

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

41.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$662 RON 3,039

$992 Rp 17.8M

-33.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$441 RON 2,022

$673 Rp 12.1M

-34.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,352 RON 6,207

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

-59.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$849 RON 3,896

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

-58.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,777 RON 17.3K

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

34.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,231 RON 10.2K

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

0.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,408 RON 6,463

$167 Rp 3.0M

743.32%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $662 in Bucharest and $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 743% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $69.0 in Bucharest vs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $230 vs $297, 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 3% in total monthly costs ($1,362 vs $1,408 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 743% higher in Bucharest, 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 $992 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,362 per month in Bucharest versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 144% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,408 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 3% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.