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 $1,396 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $988 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,334 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,668 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,273 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $2,348 in Bacau, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 41% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 2% above the global median, while Bacau is 28% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.37 Rp 59.5K

$12.21 RON 55.1

-72.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$38.59 Rp 680.3K

$88.8 RON 401

-56.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 Rp 97.3K

$8.61 RON 38.89

-35.89%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.6K

$2.04 RON 9.22

29.41%

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

$1.67 Rp 29.5K

$2.05 RON 9.24

-18.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.92 RON 8.67

-59.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.63 Rp 46.4K

$2.69 RON 12.15

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$3.35 RON 15.13

27.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 Rp 27.3K

$1.66 RON 7.48

-6.63%

White Bread (500g)

$2.22 Rp 39.2K

$1.24 RON 5.60

79.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 Rp 19.8K

$1.62 RON 7.32

-30.25%

Eggs

$2.09 Rp 36.8K

$3.28 RON 14.79

-36.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.39 Rp 306.7K

$8.30 RON 37.49

109.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.87 Rp 68.2K

$5.70 RON 25.73

-32.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.55 Rp 221.3K

$9.72 RON 43.87

29.12%

Apples (1kg)

$3.62 Rp 63.8K

$1.20 RON 5.42

201.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 27.5K

$1.51 RON 6.83

3.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.35 Rp 41.5K

$1.51 RON 6.82

55.63%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.06 Rp 36.2K

$2.11 RON 9.53

-2.37%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 33.5K

$0.70 RON 3.18

171.43%

Onion (1kg)

$2.34 Rp 41.2K

$0.69 RON 3.11

239.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.03 Rp 18.2K

$0.72 RON 3.23

43.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 Rp 9,780

$0.79 RON 3.59

-30.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 Rp 39.7K

$5.51 RON 24.86

-59.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.81 Rp 419.7K

$6.44 RON 29.07

269.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.31 Rp 40.8K

$1.03 RON 4.66

124.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 Rp 49.4K

$1.48 RON 6.67

89.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,802

$0.78 RON 3.54

-65.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.66 Rp 152.7K

$31.36 RON 142

-72.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,489

$0.64 RON 2.89

-25.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 7,864

$0.67 RON 3.04

-32.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.72 Rp 100.8K

$6.48 RON 29.24

-11.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.4K

$1.90 RON 8.58

-60.00%

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

$24.5K Rp 431.7M

$29.8K RON 134.5K

-17.84%

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

$32.1K Rp 566.3M

$26.0K RON 117.5K

23.44%

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

$83.6 Rp 1.5M

$111 RON 503

-25.03%

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

$6.46 Rp 113.8K

$11.43 RON 51.6

-43.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.99 Rp 334.9K

$5.10 RON 23.03

272.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.0 Rp 986.9K

$27.34 RON 123

104.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.62 Rp 328.2K

$16.90 RON 76.3

10.18%

Cinema Ticket

$4.28 Rp 75.5K

$8.87 RON 40.03

-51.75%

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

$487 Rp 8.6M

$422 RON 1,906

15.26%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,856 Rp 103.2M

$6,096 RON 27.5K

-3.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.56 Rp 803.2K

$75.4 RON 341

-39.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.38 Rp 641.4K

$45.12 RON 204

-19.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$82.0 Rp 1.4M

$96.6 RON 436

-15.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 Rp 1.4M

$99.8 RON 451

-19.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,117 Rp 19.7M

$418 RON 1,887

167.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$701 Rp 12.4M

$253 RON 1,141

177.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,537 Rp 62.4M

$575 RON 2,594

515.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,762 Rp 31.1M

$418 RON 1,885

322.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,826 Rp 49.8M

$1,907 RON 8,610

48.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,292 Rp 40.4M

$1,253 RON 5,658

82.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$170 Rp 3.0M

$1,010 RON 4,560

-83.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.97

97.70%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 31, 2026

Last update for Bacau: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,117 in Ubud, Bali versus $418 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 495% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $89.0 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Ubud, Bali vs $200 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 41%, 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 $2,095 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,482 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $89.0 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 $1,396 in Ubud, Bali and $988 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 $988, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,396. 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.