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: $1,419 in Ubud, Bali versus $1,336 in Bucharest.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,540 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,162 in Bucharest.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,660 in Ubud, Bali versus $2,988 in Bucharest.

Living in Ubud, Bali is roughly 6% more expensive than Bucharest, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Ubud, Bali 6% above, Bucharest 0% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.56 Rp 64.3K

$13.58 RON 61.5

-73.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$32.73 Rp 590.3K

$68.1 RON 308

-51.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 Rp 89.2K

$8.05 RON 36.42

-38.51%

Cappuccino

$2.71 Rp 48.9K

$3.40 RON 15.38

-20.29%

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

$1.34 Rp 24.2K

$2.32 RON 10.51

-42.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.70 Rp 12.6K

$2.38 RON 10.75

-70.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.92 Rp 52.7K

$3.54 RON 16.01

-17.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.96 Rp 71.4K

$4.01 RON 18.16

-1.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 Rp 32.6K

$1.74 RON 7.89

4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$2.52 Rp 45.4K

$1.42 RON 6.42

77.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 Rp 20.9K

$1.93 RON 8.73

-39.90%

Eggs

$2.46 Rp 44.4K

$3.54 RON 16.01

-30.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.71 Rp 265.3K

$9.27 RON 41.95

58.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.32 Rp 77.9K

$7.13 RON 32.25

-39.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.14 Rp 218.9K

$12.28 RON 55.6

-1.14%

Apples (1kg)

$3.84 Rp 69.3K

$1.35 RON 6.12

184.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 Rp 28.1K

$1.74 RON 7.87

-10.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.83 Rp 51.1K

$1.76 RON 7.99

60.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.33 Rp 41.9K

$2.40 RON 10.85

-2.92%

Potato (1kg)

$1.91 Rp 34.5K

$1.05 RON 4.73

81.90%

Onion (1kg)

$2.20 Rp 39.7K

$0.96 RON 4.35

129.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 Rp 18.3K

$0.92 RON 4.15

9.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 Rp 14.0K

$0.91 RON 4.10

-14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 Rp 59.8K

$6.38 RON 28.85

-47.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$23.74 Rp 428.0K

$6.45 RON 29.19

268.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.79 Rp 50.3K

$1.22 RON 5.52

128.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 Rp 51.6K

$1.98 RON 8.96

44.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,848

$1.16 RON 5.27

-76.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.03 Rp 144.8K

$19.48 RON 88.1

-58.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.46 Rp 8,230

$0.72 RON 3.26

-36.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.45 Rp 8,116

$0.62 RON 2.80

-27.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.10 Rp 109.9K

$6.94 RON 31.39

-12.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.79 Rp 14.3K

$1.71 RON 7.76

-53.80%

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

$26.1K Rp 471.6M

$29.0K RON 131.1K

-9.76%

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

$32.1K Rp 579.2M

$30.3K RON 137.1K

6.01%

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

$79.9 Rp 1.4M

$178 RON 804

-55.02%

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

$4.06 Rp 73.3K

$9.16 RON 41.45

-55.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.52 Rp 424.1K

$11.12 RON 50.3

111.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$98.7 Rp 1.8M

$54.7 RON 247

80.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.63 Rp 119.6K

$29.04 RON 131

-77.17%

Cinema Ticket

$4.15 Rp 74.8K

$9.27 RON 41.97

-55.23%

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

$304 Rp 5.5M

$677 RON 3,063

-55.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,613 Rp 119.3M

$14.9K RON 67.2K

-55.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.5 Rp 1.0M

$79.8 RON 361

-30.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.31 Rp 690.9K

$45.29 RON 205

-15.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 Rp 1.6M

$89.2 RON 403

-0.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.9 Rp 1.4M

$109 RON 494

-28.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,006 Rp 18.1M

$662 RON 2,996

52.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$675 Rp 12.2M

$432 RON 1,955

56.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,442 Rp 62.1M

$1,355 RON 6,133

153.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 Rp 36.8M

$841 RON 3,806

142.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,841 Rp 51.2M

$3,857 RON 17.5K

-26.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,264 Rp 40.8M

$2,305 RON 10.4K

-1.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$165 Rp 3.0M

$1,463 RON 6,623

-88.71%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bucharest: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,006 in Ubud, Bali and $662 in Bucharest. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bucharest pays 786% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $33.00 in Ubud, Bali vs $68.0 in Bucharest. Groceries flip the comparison at $302 vs $233, 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 6% in total monthly costs ($1,419 vs $1,336 including rent). Bucharest is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Bucharest earns 786% 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: $1,006 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 $1,419 per month in Ubud, Bali versus $1,336 in Bucharest – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Bucharest runs roughly 143% less than in Ubud, Bali. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,336 in Bucharest versus $1,419 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 6% less than in Ubud, Bali. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.