Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Alba Iulia Cost of Living Comparison Between Ubud, Bali and Alba Iulia

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $941 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,435 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,928 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 50% more expensive than in Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 5% above, Alba Iulia is 30% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.0K

$9.30 RON 42.64

-62.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 580.1K

$34.22 RON 157

-5.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 86.9K

$6.24 RON 28.62

-22.44%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.3K

$2.53 RON 11.62

8.70%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.8K

$1.89 RON 8.68

-26.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.63 RON 7.48

-53.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.7K

$2.17 RON 9.97

37.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.1K

$2.25 RON 10.32

71.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.1K

$1.39 RON 6.38

25.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.1K

$1.26 RON 5.77

95.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.57 RON 7.22

-25.48%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.6K

$3.07 RON 14.06

-20.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.2K

$8.32 RON 38.18

74.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.0K

$6.58 RON 30.19

-33.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 214.9K

$11.68 RON 53.6

2.57%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.7K

$1.01 RON 4.65

268.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.43 RON 6.55

13.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.2K

$1.39 RON 6.38

97.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.2K

$2.44 RON 11.19

-8.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.4K

$0.84 RON 3.84

128.57%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.8K

$0.64 RON 2.95

256.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.87 RON 4.01

21.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.71 RON 3.26

1.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 58.9K

$5.73 RON 26.27

-42.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.1K

$4.31 RON 19.76

438.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.8K

$1.10 RON 5.03

152.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.0K

$1.41 RON 6.46

93.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,778

$0.78 RON 3.56

-65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.4K

$17.17 RON 78.8

-52.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,659

$0.76 RON 3.51

-36.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,532

$0.74 RON 3.41

-43.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.6K

$5.09 RON 23.33

22.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.52 RON 6.96

-46.71%

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

$26.6K Rp 477.4M

$27.7K RON 126.9K

-3.82%

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

$32.2K Rp 577.4M

$28.3K RON 129.9K

13.66%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$138 RON 635

-43.38%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.0K

$7.83 RON 35.92

-48.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 436.4K

$9.00 RON 41.26

170.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$32.27 RON 148

205.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.7K

$35.05 RON 161

-81.91%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.5K

$5.57 RON 25.56

-28.37%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$450 RON 2,066

-32.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.2M

$6,467 RON 29.7K

2.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 971.2K

$42.67 RON 196

26.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 678.2K

$26.13 RON 120

44.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$84.5 RON 388

2.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$70.2 RON 322

8.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$317 RON 1,454

212.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$274 RON 1,259

145.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.5M

$538 RON 2,469

526.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$443 RON 2,030

363.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.3M

$1,675 RON 7,683

67.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 39.9M

$1,415 RON 6,490

57.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$944 RON 4,330

-82.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

7.7

72.47%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $317 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alba Iulia pays 465% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Alba Iulia. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $202, with Alba Iulia 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 Alba Iulia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Alba Iulia is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 465% lower in Alba Iulia. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $317 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $941 in Alba Iulia – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alba Iulia runs roughly 112% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $941 in Alba Iulia versus $1,408 in Ubud, Bali, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Alba Iulia but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Alba Iulia the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Alba Iulia is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Ubud, Bali, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Alba Iulia 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 Alba Iulia gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.