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: $1,397 in Bucharest versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,105 in Bucharest versus $2,348 in Ubud, Bali.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,814 in Bucharest versus $3,327 in Ubud, Bali.

Living in Bucharest is roughly 2% more expensive than in Ubud, Bali, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Bucharest 2% above, Ubud, Bali 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.50 RON 71.1

$3.44 Rp 60.9K

350.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 RON 275

$36.31 Rp 643.0K

64.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.54 RON 34.58

$5.71 Rp 101.0K

32.05%

Cappuccino

$3.72 RON 17.07

$2.67 Rp 47.3K

39.33%

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

$2.36 RON 10.82

$1.75 Rp 31.0K

34.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.30 RON 10.55

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

164.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.98 RON 18.26

$2.95 Rp 52.3K

34.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 RON 20.70

$4.52 Rp 80.0K

-0.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 RON 8.33

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

12.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.44 RON 6.62

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-38.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 RON 8.36

$1.11 Rp 19.6K

63.96%

Eggs

$3.94 RON 18.08

$2.20 Rp 39.0K

79.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.47 RON 43.44

$17.69 Rp 313.3K

-46.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.05 RON 32.36

$4.10 Rp 72.5K

71.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.16 RON 55.8

$12.18 Rp 215.6K

-0.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 RON 6.11

$3.71 Rp 65.6K

-64.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 RON 7.68

$1.59 Rp 28.1K

5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 RON 7.51

$2.28 Rp 40.4K

-28.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 RON 12.83

$1.95 Rp 34.6K

43.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 RON 3.86

$1.91 Rp 33.7K

-56.02%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 RON 3.62

$2.33 Rp 41.3K

-66.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.91 RON 4.16

$1.01 Rp 17.8K

-9.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 RON 4.59

$0.55 Rp 9,773

81.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$7.00 RON 32.12

$2.23 Rp 39.5K

213.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.44 RON 29.54

$23.07 Rp 408.6K

-72.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.24 RON 5.70

$2.42 Rp 42.8K

-48.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 RON 7.99

$3.00 Rp 53.1K

-42.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.86 RON 3.93

$0.27 Rp 4,814

218.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.97 RON 101

$8.98 Rp 159.1K

144.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.63 RON 2.91

$0.48 Rp 8,566

31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.69 RON 3.17

$0.43 Rp 7,679

60.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.68 RON 30.66

$5.64 Rp 99.9K

18.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.97 RON 9.05

$0.80 Rp 14.2K

146.25%

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

$29.3K RON 134.6K

$24.9K Rp 441.7M

17.60%

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

$28.4K RON 130.4K

$31.7K Rp 561.5M

-10.37%

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

$192 RON 879

$81.5 Rp 1.4M

135.18%

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

$8.51 RON 39.03

$6.49 Rp 115.0K

31.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.09 RON 46.28

$18.77 Rp 332.4K

-46.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$53.1 RON 244

$56.9 Rp 1.0M

-6.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.78 RON 118

$18.73 Rp 331.7K

37.64%

Cinema Ticket

$8.57 RON 39.30

$4.54 Rp 80.4K

88.77%

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

$664 RON 3,048

$481 Rp 8.5M

38.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.1K RON 69.3K

$5,711 Rp 101.1M

164.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$94.5 RON 434

$45.52 Rp 806.0K

107.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.90 RON 188

$35.88 Rp 635.4K

13.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.4 RON 378

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

2.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.2 RON 455

$78.7 Rp 1.4M

26.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$716 RON 3,283

$1,115 Rp 19.7M

-35.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$470 RON 2,158

$698 Rp 12.4M

-32.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,149 RON 5,273

$3,637 Rp 64.4M

-68.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$739 RON 3,389

$1,737 Rp 30.8M

-57.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,881 RON 17.8K

$2,784 Rp 49.3M

39.38%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,277 RON 10.4K

$2,290 Rp 40.5M

-0.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,484 RON 6,809

$168 Rp 3.0M

783.25%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.76

13.78

-50.94%

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

Last update for Bucharest: September 15, 2026

Last update for Ubud, Bali: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $716 in Bucharest and $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 783% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $60.0 in Bucharest vs $36.00 in Ubud, Bali. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $295, 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 2% in total monthly costs ($1,397 vs $1,368 including rent). Ubud, Bali is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 783% 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: $716 in Bucharest versus $1,115 in Ubud, Bali. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,397 per month in Bucharest versus $1,368 in Ubud, Bali – a 2% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Ubud, Bali runs roughly 145% less than in Bucharest. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,368 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,397 in Bucharest, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ubud, Bali but tight or insufficient in Bucharest. The gap between the two cities makes Ubud, Bali 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 Ubud, Bali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Bucharest. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.