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: $1,408 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,362 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,585 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,133 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,763 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,903 in Bucharest.

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

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 5% above, Bucharest 2% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.45 Rp 62.1K

$14.09 RON 64.7

-75.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.34 Rp 581.1K

$68.8 RON 316

-53.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 Rp 87.1K

$8.08 RON 37.07

-40.10%

Cappuccino

$2.75 Rp 49.4K

$3.39 RON 15.56

-18.88%

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

$1.38 Rp 24.9K

$2.24 RON 10.29

-38.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.75 Rp 13.5K

$2.42 RON 11.10

-69.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.99 Rp 53.8K

$3.38 RON 15.53

-11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.85 Rp 69.2K

$3.83 RON 17.58

0.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.74 Rp 31.2K

$1.72 RON 7.89

1.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.46 Rp 44.2K

$1.35 RON 6.20

82.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.17 Rp 21.0K

$1.83 RON 8.42

-36.07%

Eggs

$2.43 Rp 43.7K

$3.65 RON 16.74

-33.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.50 Rp 260.6K

$9.23 RON 42.35

57.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.35 Rp 78.2K

$6.85 RON 31.46

-36.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.98 Rp 215.3K

$12.03 RON 55.2

-0.42%

Apples (1kg)

$3.72 Rp 66.8K

$1.34 RON 6.15

177.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.63 Rp 29.2K

$1.72 RON 7.90

-5.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.74 Rp 49.3K

$1.82 RON 8.34

50.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$2.39 RON 10.98

-6.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.92 Rp 34.5K

$1.04 RON 4.78

84.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.28 Rp 40.9K

$1.02 RON 4.68

123.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 Rp 19.1K

$0.98 RON 4.49

8.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 Rp 12.9K

$0.95 RON 4.34

-24.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.29 Rp 59.0K

$6.40 RON 29.36

-48.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.19 Rp 416.8K

$6.50 RON 29.84

256.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.78 Rp 49.9K

$1.24 RON 5.69

124.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 Rp 49.1K

$1.93 RON 8.87

41.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,786

$1.14 RON 5.22

-76.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.11 Rp 145.7K

$19.82 RON 91.0

-59.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.48 Rp 8,675

$0.71 RON 3.28

-32.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 Rp 7,545

$0.65 RON 3.00

-35.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.22 Rp 111.8K

$6.93 RON 31.82

-10.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.81 Rp 14.6K

$1.66 RON 7.60

-51.20%

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

$26.6K Rp 478.2M

$29.0K RON 132.9K

-8.09%

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

$32.2K Rp 578.5M

$30.1K RON 138.0K

7.04%

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

$78.4 Rp 1.4M

$183 RON 842

-57.28%

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

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$8.95 RON 41.09

-54.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.33 Rp 437.1K

$11.12 RON 51.1

118.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.6 Rp 1.8M

$54.4 RON 250

81.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.34 Rp 113.9K

$29.49 RON 135

-78.50%

Cinema Ticket

$3.99 Rp 71.6K

$9.13 RON 41.92

-56.30%

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

$305 Rp 5.5M

$676 RON 3,105

-54.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,642 Rp 119.4M

$14.3K RON 65.7K

-53.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.1 Rp 972.9K

$81.1 RON 372

-33.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.81 Rp 679.4K

$44.42 RON 204

-14.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.8 Rp 1.6M

$89.8 RON 412

-3.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$76.4 Rp 1.4M

$108 RON 497

-29.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$992 Rp 17.8M

$662 RON 3,039

49.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$673 Rp 12.1M

$441 RON 2,022

52.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,375 Rp 60.7M

$1,352 RON 6,207

149.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,050 Rp 36.8M

$849 RON 3,896

141.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,805 Rp 50.4M

$3,777 RON 17.3K

-25.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,227 Rp 40.0M

$2,231 RON 10.2K

-0.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$167 Rp 3.0M

$1,408 RON 6,463

-88.14%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $992 in Ubud, Bali and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 743% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $32.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $69.0 in Bucharest. Groceries flip the comparison at $297 vs $230, 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 ($1,408 vs $1,362 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 743% lower in Bucharest. 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: $992 in Ubud, Bali versus $662 in Bucharest. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,408 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,362 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 144% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,362 in Bucharest versus $1,408 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.