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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $905 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,585 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,462 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,763 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,019 in Bacau, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 56% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 5% above the global median, while Bacau is 32% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$11.74 RON 53.9

-70.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$45.80 RON 210

-29.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$8.16 RON 37.44

-40.69%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$2.30 RON 10.56

19.57%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$2.20 RON 10.12

-37.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$1.86 RON 8.52

-59.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$2.32 RON 10.65

28.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.54 RON 16.27

8.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.34 RON 6.17

29.85%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$0.84 RON 3.86

192.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.71 RON 7.86

-31.58%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$3.67 RON 16.83

-33.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$8.33 RON 38.25

74.07%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$6.22 RON 28.54

-30.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$9.10 RON 41.78

31.65%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$1.26 RON 5.80

195.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.62 RON 7.44

0.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.73 RON 7.95

58.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.83 RON 8.39

22.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$0.93 RON 4.28

106.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$0.83 RON 3.83

174.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.71 RON 3.25

49.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.74 RON 3.38

-2.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$5.85 RON 26.87

-43.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$6.58 RON 30.19

252.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$0.87 RON 3.99

219.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.34 RON 6.14

103.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$0.63 RON 2.89

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$32.12 RON 147

-74.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.62 RON 2.86

-22.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.64 RON 2.95

-34.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$7.44 RON 34.15

-16.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.60 RON 7.34

-49.38%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$28.3K RON 129.8K

-5.87%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$26.7K RON 122.4K

20.74%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$116 RON 532

-32.42%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$8.53 RON 39.17

-52.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$5.26 RON 24.16

362.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$24.94 RON 115

295.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$23.39 RON 107

-72.89%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$6.81 RON 31.25

-41.41%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$654 RON 3,004

-53.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$5,516 RON 25.3K

20.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$90.4 RON 415

-40.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$35.38 RON 162

6.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$63.7 RON 292

36.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$99.0 RON 455

-22.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$325 RON 1,493

204.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$183 RON 840

267.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$501 RON 2,301

573.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$366 RON 1,679

460.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$1,828 RON 8,389

53.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$1,217 RON 5,586

83.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,022 RON 4,691

-83.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

6.5

104.31%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bacau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $325 in Bacau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 512% higher in Bacau, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $46.00 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $195 in Bacau – so Bacau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bacau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Ubud, Bali is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,112 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,357 in Bacau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $32.00 in Ubud, Bali and $46.00 in Bacau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,408 in Ubud, Bali and $905 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $905, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,408. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bacau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Ubud, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.