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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,404 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $902 in Bistrita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,549 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,446 in Bistrita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,694 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,991 in Bistrita, rent included.

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

Ubud, Bali sits 4% above the global median, while Bistrita is 33% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.57 Rp 64.0K

$7.43 RON 33.62

-51.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.50 Rp 582.3K

$45.86 RON 207

-29.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.86 Rp 87.1K

$7.07 RON 31.96

-31.26%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.2K

$2.82 RON 12.77

-2.48%

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

$1.32 Rp 23.7K

$1.52 RON 6.86

-13.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$1.40 RON 6.31

-50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.91 Rp 52.2K

$2.69 RON 12.17

8.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.79 Rp 68.0K

$2.79 RON 12.61

35.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.71 Rp 30.6K

$1.45 RON 6.54

17.93%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 Rp 44.3K

$1.22 RON 5.52

102.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 Rp 21.5K

$1.13 RON 5.11

6.19%

Eggs

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$3.40 RON 15.39

-28.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.38 Rp 257.7K

$6.78 RON 30.65

112.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.31 Rp 77.1K

$6.32 RON 28.58

-31.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.21 Rp 218.7K

$8.61 RON 38.97

41.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.68 Rp 66.0K

$1.12 RON 5.08

228.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 Rp 27.8K

$1.51 RON 6.83

2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.79 Rp 49.9K

$1.66 RON 7.49

68.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.8K

$2.12 RON 9.61

9.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.97 Rp 35.3K

$0.83 RON 3.74

137.35%

Onion (1kg)

$2.31 Rp 41.4K

$0.68 RON 3.07

239.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$1.07 RON 4.84

-0.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 Rp 13.1K

$0.91 RON 4.13

-19.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 Rp 58.8K

$5.32 RON 24.09

-38.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.79 Rp 408.4K

$8.31 RON 37.59

174.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 Rp 50.3K

$0.99 RON 4.47

183.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.12 RON 5.05

148.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 Rp 5,217

$0.48 RON 2.16

-39.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.06 Rp 144.4K

$22.76 RON 103

-64.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,047

$0.66 RON 2.98

-31.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,094

$0.60 RON 2.72

-25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 Rp 111.7K

$6.93 RON 31.33

-9.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.85 Rp 15.2K

$1.57 RON 7.11

-45.86%

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

$26.0K Rp 465.4M

$28.4K RON 128.4K

-8.48%

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

$31.7K Rp 567.2M

$26.4K RON 119.5K

19.87%

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

$80.8 Rp 1.4M

$138 RON 625

-41.58%

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

$4.06 Rp 72.7K

$7.85 RON 35.49

-48.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.42 Rp 437.6K

$7.08 RON 32.04

244.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$97.7 Rp 1.7M

$45.98 RON 208

112.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.45 Rp 115.5K

$34.71 RON 157

-81.42%

Cinema Ticket

$4.04 Rp 72.4K

$6.90 RON 31.20

-41.45%

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

$304 Rp 5.4M

$425 RON 1,921

-28.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,621 Rp 118.6M

$6,909 RON 31.3K

-4.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.2 Rp 971.7K

$67.4 RON 305

-19.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.78 Rp 694.7K

$35.18 RON 159

10.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.1 Rp 1.5M

$67.9 RON 307

26.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.7 Rp 1.4M

$92.2 RON 417

-16.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$986 Rp 17.7M

$242 RON 1,095

307.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$658 Rp 11.8M

$203 RON 916

224.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,369 Rp 60.4M

$422 RON 1,911

697.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,066 Rp 37.0M

$339 RON 1,533

509.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 Rp 49.1M

$1,518 RON 6,868

80.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,228 Rp 39.9M

$1,213 RON 5,488

83.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$163 Rp 2.9M

$1,051 RON 4,754

-84.45%

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: June 9, 2026

Last update for Bistrita: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $986 in Ubud, Bali versus $242 in Bistrita. 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 543% higher in Bistrita, 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 $33.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $46.00 in Bistrita. Groceries tell a different story – $297 in Ubud, Bali vs $197 in Bistrita – so Bistrita 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 Bistrita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali costs about 56% more than Bistrita, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,106 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,353 in Bistrita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 50% more in Ubud, Bali, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $33.00 in Ubud, Bali and $46.00 in Bistrita. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Bistrita, where all-in costs run around $902, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,404. In Bistrita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Ubud, Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Bistrita costs $902 versus $1,404 in Ubud, Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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 Bistrita. 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.