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 $1,379 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $862 in Bistrita, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,363 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,368 in Bistrita, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,347 per month in Ubud, Bali vs $1,875 in Bistrita, rent included.

Ubud, Bali costs about 60% more than Bistrita, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Ubud, Bali sits 1% above the global median, while Bistrita is 37% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.31 Rp 58.9K

$7.26 RON 32.61

-54.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$39.08 Rp 694.5K

$43.83 RON 197

-10.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.62 Rp 99.8K

$6.62 RON 29.74

-15.11%

Cappuccino

$2.64 Rp 46.9K

$2.65 RON 11.92

-0.38%

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

$1.58 Rp 28.2K

$1.65 RON 7.40

-4.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.6K

$1.43 RON 6.44

-50.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.73 Rp 48.5K

$2.23 RON 10.02

22.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.32 Rp 76.8K

$3.24 RON 14.57

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 Rp 27.4K

$1.41 RON 6.34

9.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 Rp 40.8K

$1.13 RON 5.06

103.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 Rp 18.3K

$1.09 RON 4.90

-5.50%

Eggs

$2.12 Rp 37.7K

$3.27 RON 14.69

-35.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.30 Rp 307.5K

$6.74 RON 30.26

156.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.03 Rp 71.6K

$6.27 RON 28.16

-35.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.42 Rp 220.8K

$8.05 RON 36.18

54.29%

Apples (1kg)

$3.70 Rp 65.7K

$0.96 RON 4.32

285.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 Rp 28.7K

$1.62 RON 7.26

Oranges (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 40.3K

$1.50 RON 6.72

51.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.99 Rp 35.4K

$2.13 RON 9.59

-6.57%

Potato (1kg)

$1.83 Rp 32.5K

$0.69 RON 3.08

165.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.25 Rp 40.1K

$0.64 RON 2.89

251.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$1.04 RON 4.65

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

$0.97 RON 4.35

-42.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.22 Rp 39.5K

$5.94 RON 26.69

-62.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.22 Rp 412.7K

$8.01 RON 35.98

189.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.39 Rp 42.5K

$0.97 RON 4.34

146.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 Rp 51.1K

$1.08 RON 4.86

165.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.25 Rp 4,416

$0.46 RON 2.07

-45.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$7.17 Rp 127.4K

$22.43 RON 101

-68.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,163

$0.76 RON 3.40

-39.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,235

$0.73 RON 3.30

-36.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.70 Rp 101.2K

$7.62 RON 34.22

-25.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.76 Rp 13.6K

$1.60 RON 7.20

-52.50%

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

$24.6K Rp 436.7M

$29.6K RON 133.0K

-17.00%

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

$31.0K Rp 551.5M

$25.3K RON 113.5K

22.83%

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

$82.2 Rp 1.5M

$120 RON 540

-31.67%

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

$6.33 Rp 112.5K

$7.53 RON 33.84

-15.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.54 Rp 329.6K

$6.21 RON 27.89

198.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.1 Rp 996.2K

$42.61 RON 191

31.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.41 Rp 327.2K

$33.52 RON 151

-45.08%

Cinema Ticket

$4.26 Rp 75.8K

$6.57 RON 29.49

-35.16%

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

$489 Rp 8.7M

$465 RON 2,090

5.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,793 Rp 103.0M

$6,998 RON 31.4K

-17.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.98 Rp 817.3K

$61.0 RON 274

-24.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.86 Rp 637.4K

$31.03 RON 139

15.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 Rp 1.4M

$66.6 RON 299

19.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 Rp 1.4M

$88.8 RON 399

-8.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,144 Rp 20.3M

$229 RON 1,028

399.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$692 Rp 12.3M

$193 RON 867

258.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,532 Rp 62.8M

$411 RON 1,845

759.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,709 Rp 30.4M

$333 RON 1,495

413.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,785 Rp 49.5M

$1,579 RON 7,094

76.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,261 Rp 40.2M

$1,209 RON 5,431

87.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$169 Rp 3.0M

$1,069 RON 4,803

-84.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.78

6.73

104.75%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: August 15, 2026

Last update for Bistrita: August 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,144 in Ubud, Bali versus $229 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 532% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali versus $44.00 in Bistrita. Groceries tell a different story – $293 in Ubud, Bali vs $192 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 60% 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 $2,069 per month in Ubud, Bali and $1,292 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 53% 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 $39.00 in Ubud, Bali and $44.00 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 $862, than in Ubud, Bali at $1,379. 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 $862 versus $1,379 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.