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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,395 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,356 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,559 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,724 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,910 in Bucharest.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 3% more expensive than Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 4% above, Bucharest 1% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.48 Rp 59.7K

$13.71 RON 59.2

-74.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.88 Rp 564.0K

$69.8 RON 302

-52.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 Rp 87.3K

$8.00 RON 34.54

-36.38%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 47.1K

$3.33 RON 14.40

-17.42%

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

$1.38 Rp 23.7K

$2.35 RON 10.14

-41.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.71 Rp 12.2K

$2.42 RON 10.47

-70.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.88 Rp 49.4K

$3.41 RON 14.73

-15.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.87 Rp 66.4K

$3.95 RON 17.07

-2.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 Rp 30.7K

$1.73 RON 7.46

3.47%

White Bread (500g)

$2.45 Rp 42.0K

$1.38 RON 5.95

77.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 Rp 20.7K

$1.90 RON 8.19

-36.32%

Eggs

$2.39 Rp 40.9K

$3.57 RON 15.42

-33.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.70 Rp 252.1K

$9.76 RON 42.18

50.61%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.24 Rp 72.7K

$7.10 RON 30.69

-40.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.08 Rp 207.1K

$12.12 RON 52.4

-0.33%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 62.9K

$1.34 RON 5.81

173.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 Rp 27.6K

$1.78 RON 7.70

-9.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.72 Rp 46.6K

$1.75 RON 7.54

55.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.27 Rp 39.0K

$2.41 RON 10.41

-5.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.90 Rp 32.6K

$1.00 RON 4.32

90.00%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 Rp 39.4K

$1.01 RON 4.38

127.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 Rp 17.4K

$0.95 RON 4.09

7.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 13.4K

$0.95 RON 4.09

-17.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 Rp 55.7K

$6.34 RON 27.37

-48.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$24.06 Rp 412.7K

$6.98 RON 30.17

244.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 Rp 48.7K

$1.27 RON 5.48

123.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 47.8K

$1.98 RON 8.57

40.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,610

$1.14 RON 4.91

-76.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.24 Rp 141.4K

$19.52 RON 84.3

-57.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 7,708

$0.72 RON 3.09

-37.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 Rp 7,305

$0.60 RON 2.60

-28.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.02 Rp 103.3K

$7.11 RON 30.74

-15.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.86 Rp 14.7K

$1.71 RON 7.38

-49.71%

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

$26.1K Rp 447.1M

$29.3K RON 126.7K

-11.16%

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

$31.7K Rp 543.7M

$30.4K RON 131.2K

4.38%

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

$78.3 Rp 1.3M

$182 RON 788

-57.06%

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

$4.00 Rp 68.5K

$9.13 RON 39.44

-56.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.35 Rp 417.7K

$11.08 RON 47.88

119.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$95.8 Rp 1.6M

$53.2 RON 230

79.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.46 Rp 110.7K

$29.33 RON 127

-77.97%

Cinema Ticket

$4.01 Rp 68.7K

$8.97 RON 38.77

-55.30%

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

$302 Rp 5.2M

$657 RON 2,839

-54.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,545 Rp 112.3M

$14.4K RON 62.3K

-54.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.4 Rp 916.3K

$82.0 RON 354

-34.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.55 Rp 661.2K

$44.65 RON 193

-13.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 Rp 1.5M

$91.0 RON 393

-2.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.9 Rp 1.4M

$109 RON 469

-27.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 Rp 17.4M

$657 RON 2,837

54.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 Rp 11.5M

$442 RON 1,910

52.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,368 Rp 57.8M

$1,332 RON 5,753

152.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,108 Rp 36.2M

$826 RON 3,570

155.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,001 Rp 51.5M

$4,081 RON 17.6K

-26.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,337 Rp 40.1M

$2,292 RON 9,901

1.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$178 Rp 3.0M

$1,485 RON 6,417

-88.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

7.1

87.04%

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

Last update for Ubud, Bali: April 12, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,016 in Ubud, Bali and $657 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 737% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33 in Ubud, Bali vs $70 in Bucharest. Groceries flip the comparison at $300 vs $235, with Bucharest 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 Bucharest: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ubud, Bali and Bucharest differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($1,395 vs $1,356 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 737% 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: $1,016 in Ubud, Bali versus $657 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,395 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,356 in Bucharest – a 3% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 137% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,356 in Bucharest versus $1,395 in Ubud, Bali, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Bucharest but tight or insufficient in Ubud, Bali. The gap between the two cities makes Bucharest the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Ubud, Bali and Bucharest 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 Bucharest gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.