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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $962 in Alba Iulia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,464 in Alba Iulia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,967 in Alba Iulia.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 48% more expensive than Alba Iulia, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Ubud, Bali is 6% above, Alba Iulia is 28% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 63.7K

$9.07 RON 41.02

-60.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 584.5K

$34.38 RON 155

-4.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 88.4K

$6.27 RON 28.34

-21.05%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.4K

$2.41 RON 10.89

12.45%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.0K

$1.90 RON 8.57

-29.47%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.5K

$1.64 RON 7.42

-57.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.1K

$2.25 RON 10.18

29.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 70.7K

$2.31 RON 10.45

71.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.3K

$1.37 RON 6.17

32.12%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.0K

$1.24 RON 5.61

103.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.7K

$1.63 RON 7.38

-28.83%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 43.9K

$3.04 RON 13.74

-19.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 262.7K

$8.64 RON 39.05

70.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.1K

$6.62 RON 29.91

-34.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 216.7K

$11.88 RON 53.7

2.19%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 68.6K

$0.98 RON 4.42

291.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.8K

$1.42 RON 6.44

9.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 50.6K

$1.36 RON 6.16

108.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.5K

$2.39 RON 10.81

-2.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.2K

$0.78 RON 3.54

144.87%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.3K

$0.61 RON 2.75

260.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.1K

$0.87 RON 3.95

16.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.8K

$0.66 RON 2.99

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.2K

$5.83 RON 26.37

-43.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 423.9K

$4.32 RON 19.51

449.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 49.8K

$1.14 RON 5.16

144.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.1K

$1.34 RON 6.08

113.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,800

$0.83 RON 3.76

-67.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 143.4K

$17.22 RON 77.8

-53.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,150

$0.71 RON 3.19

-35.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,037

$0.77 RON 3.46

-41.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 108.9K

$5.21 RON 23.54

17.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.2K

$1.52 RON 6.88

-48.03%

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

$26.1K Rp 467.0M

$28.0K RON 126.7K

-6.73%

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

$32.1K Rp 573.6M

$27.3K RON 123.4K

17.66%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$137 RON 619

-41.64%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.6K

$8.11 RON 36.66

-49.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 420.0K

$9.06 RON 40.94

159.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$31.74 RON 144

210.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 118.4K

$34.20 RON 155

-80.61%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.1K

$5.42 RON 24.50

-23.43%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$454 RON 2,050

-32.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 118.1M

$6,512 RON 29.4K

1.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 991.8K

$42.24 RON 191

31.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 684.1K

$26.28 RON 119

45.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$81.6 RON 369

8.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$70.1 RON 317

11.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.0M

$323 RON 1,460

211.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.1M

$273 RON 1,233

147.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 61.5M

$550 RON 2,485

526.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.4M

$451 RON 2,039

352.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 50.7M

$1,683 RON 7,606

68.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.4M

$1,471 RON 6,650

53.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$958 RON 4,331

-82.75%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Alba Iulia: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $323 in Alba Iulia. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Alba Iulia pays 480% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $34.00 in Alba Iulia. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 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 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Alba Iulia earns 480% less. 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: $1,006 in Ubud, Bali versus $323 in Alba Iulia. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $962 in Alba Iulia – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Alba Iulia runs roughly 114% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $962 in Alba Iulia versus $1,419 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 48% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.